Sania Mirza set to clash with World No.8 Venus Williams in the theird round of Australian Open 2008. The Saturday match will be played at Rod Laver arena, the centre court.

Sania Mirza beat Timea Bacsinszky 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. The second round match went to the theird round as Sania was missing her rhythm and consistency in windy conditions, lost the second set 4-6. However the India's No.1 player Sania Mirza took the theird set 7-5 in her favor and the match as well.

About playing multi Grand Slam winner Venus, Sania Mirza said, "I'm just excited to play her. Probably play on a big court and in front of a big crowd. Three years ago when it all started, I played Serena and now I'm playing Venus in the third round."

Venus Williams also not taking Sania Mirza lightly either. Venus said "I have played against her a little while ago. She's a good player, also. She tries to play aggressive. Looks like she enjoys herself out there."

India's No.1 player Sania Mirza won her second round match against Swiss teenager Timea Bac- Zinsky 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. 

Transcript of her interview after her 2nd round match at Australian Open 2008.

Q. You got off to a great start and then the match tightened up. How do you assess the game, from your point of view?

SANIA MIRZA: I think, yeah, I think I was playing very well. In the first set obviously I wasn't really giving her chances, and I started off by winning about six points in a row. So obviously, you know, I wanted to get up there and everything.

In the second set it was fine till about 4‑All, 40‑30. I was serving and I think I made a double fault, if I'm not mistaken, or it was a bad miss or something. And suddenly, we're all quality players, and if you let someone in... I think I played a couple of bad games, maybe a lapse of concentration or whatever.

I think in the third set, she was there. She was in the match till the end. And I think I was just stronger a bit mentally. I hung in there very well.

I mean, the third set was fine. I really can't say. You have tight nerves and all that, so I can't really say I played a bad third set. Yeah, I could have played a couple of good games in the middle of the second set, maybe gone up 4‑2, maybe gone up 5‑3 or something, and things would have been a bit different.

Q. Did she improve a great deal in those second two sets or did you drop off a little?

SANIA MIRZA: I think a bit of both. I did ‑‑ like I said, it was only a matter of a couple of games where I dropped off, and then I was trying to get back, but then she had this confidence happening.

But she ‑‑ yeah, she did start playing a lot better. You know, in the beginning she was missing a lot of tape. I mean, on the backhand is a very hard shot. She hits it very hard and very flat. And she kept hitting it on the tape. And then suddenly when she ‑‑ obviously, when you get confidence, all those tapes start coming in.

I think that's exactly what happened. And then after that, she was in the match. And I kind of let her in in a couple of games where I should have tightened up instead of, you know, maybe gotten a couple more first serves in or something like that.

Q. Seemed like you were playing a little bit conservative in that third set?

SANIA MIRZA: Yeah, because, I mean, there was no point. It was windy to start off with, and the wind kept picking up. As the match went on, it kept getting windier. And it wasn't like it was wind from one side to another; it was swirling around. It was not easy conditions to play in.

It's not really ‑‑ I know it's my game to just go for it and go for my shots, but I think at the end of the day that's something I'm trying to improve on, is to be smarter while playing in these conditions. When a player you're playing has nothing to lose, you know, you're expected to win, and she's already come back from 6‑1, won the set, and up 3‑1, I think it won't be the smartest thing to just hit your way through it.

And I had to try to work my points. And I think that's what I did. I played a solid game at 3‑2. I think that's where everything changed. I came to the net a little bit. I had to take a chance, hit an inside‑out backhand on the first serve return. I had to take those chances. But I think on the whole, I played a solid third set, like, you know, at least from 3‑1. Obviously in the first four games, she's not really ‑‑ she started serving much better, she started hitting a lot harder and a lot deeper with my accuracy.

Q. It's a different position for you now the last couple of Slams where you're going in seeded as a favorite mentally because you're actually expected to be winning those matches?

SANIA MIRZA: Yeah, of course. I think it's much harder because when you're the better player on paper, I think of course you're expected to win by everyone, but even the other person you're playing, she's just coming in thinking, Right, I just have to go for my shots. If I get them, I get them.

And here I am playing third set with someone who's 31 in the world, or if not I think, you know, she's like, Yeah, well, I had a good tournament. I qualified and made second round.

That's just a mental way to look at it. But I think it's very good for me right now to come through matches like this, because I just stayed mentally tough. And I think winning a 7‑5 in the third against anyone, you have to be mentally very tough.

So I'm just happy that I came through.

Q. Do you approach the next match in any different way?

SANIA MIRZA: Yeah, I'm just going to go for it. I have nothing to lose. I'm very excited, actually, to play Venus. I think the last time I played her was in Stanford a couple years ago, and I haven't played her since. And obviously I feel like I'm playing well, and I'm playing better tennis than I was a couple of years ago. And so is she. But, you know, it's ‑‑ yeah, I'm very excited to play her, and rest up tomorrow.

Q. Venus said she expected you to be very aggressive. She said you're an aggressive type of player.

SANIA MIRZA: Well, it's not a secret anymore. I think everyone knows that by now, that I like to go for it. And I think she was surprised that I was not as aggressive. So I think it's a given because ‑‑ yeah, I've been on the circuit long enough for people to know what's good and what's not good in my game, relatively.

Q. You must be very encouraged the way you started this season.

SANIA MIRZA: Yeah. Yeah, I mean, I lost a couple of very close three‑setters at the Hopman Cup. I wanted to come through those, obviously, because I think it's always good to win three‑set matches. For your confidence mentally and physically, as well, you feel like you become stronger. But, yeah, I think third round of the first Slam is not a bad start to the season. I feel good. And I won a couple of matches last week in Hobart, as well.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to it. I play Fed Cup, get a lot of matches in there next week after here.

Q. This is sort of a long time since you played her. It was 2005. Can you bring something else to the table now because she's not only powerful, Venus, but she's fast. Her defensive game is good. The offense is there.

SANIA MIRZA: She's one of the best players in the world. I think it's ‑‑ to be honest with you, I think it's ‑‑ you can't really pick and say, Right, so this is her weakness and this is what I'm going to attack. In my match today, I would say, Right, every time I'm under pressure, I'm going to hit to her forehand, and there's more chance of her missing her forehand than her backhand. Can't really do that with Venus.

And I think the key for me is going to try and stay aggressive. Because if I let someone like that, like Venus, who is a very overpowering person on the court, you know, let them take charge, then I'm going to have no chance. So I think my ‑‑ my first aim, I mean, I'm not even thinking about the match yet, but the first thing that I'm thinking about is that I want to try and get a good start again.

I mean, the first couple of games, not try and go down 3‑Lve or 4‑Love or 5‑Love; just try and get on the board and try and get a good start.

Q. Do you have to establish your forehand against her? Like today, your opponent was playing your backhand, backhand, backhand, and you were consistent enough. Against Venus, if you don't have the big weapon, it might be a little more problematic.

SANIA MIRZA: Of course. Of course. I'm going to try and have to run around a lot more balls. Obviously I have to use my forehand a lot more. But, you know, I mean, everyone has weaknesses. And I'm sure Venus does, too.

So let's hope ‑‑ I mean, I haven't played her, like you said, in a couple of years now. So to be honest, I'm just looking forward to the match. I'm very excited to play her. She's a great girl. We were just talking when I went inside.

So, yeah, she's ‑‑ I'm just excited to play her. Probably play on a big court and in front of a big crowd. Three years ago when it all started I played Serena and now I'm playing Venus in the third round, so...

Q. You were talking the other day about trying to maintain focus because of everything happening, and you did a decent job last couple days. If you go out on a big court against Venus, that's pretty critical, too. You have to put everything behind you?

SANIA MIRZA: I think at the end of the day when you go out on the court, yeah, it's great to play ‑‑ if you play on Rod Laver, it's great we're playing in front of so many people. I think at the end of the day, when you go out on the court, it's you, the ball and the opponent. You really don't care who else is sitting, who else is watching.

You have to ‑‑ I mean, I think that's ‑‑ I think I'm very pleased by winning a match like this today because of the fact that, you know, because a lot has been happening in the last couple of weeks off the court. And I just feel ‑‑ I was mentally still strong enough to come through a match like that. I mean, I was down 3‑1, 30‑All. You know, I could have just said, You know, I'm just mentally not there. It would have been a good excuse even for myself. But I didn't want to do that. I wanted to come through. And I proved to myself that I'm mentally strong enough to do that.

So I've done it a couple of matches, and hopefully I can continue to do that.

“Sania Mirza is one of the most recognizable faces of global tennis and is a youth icon amongst young Asians across the world. This is a big moment for adidas and for Indian sports. Sania Mirza’s appeal goes well beyond tennis and the sporting world and it’s only natural for us to use her as a global brand ambassador for adidas. She is a perfect fit for our brand as she personifies the passion, energy and boldness that adidas stands for. We welcome her into the adidas family and look forward to a long association with her” Hartwin Feddersen, director of marketing, adidas India said when announcing the tie-up.

"I am extremely happy to be part of such a distinguished family of players and brand ambassadors. I have been associated with the brand as a junior and I believe adidas' experience and expertise will be a key part of my on-court performance. I am really looking forward to wearing the stylish 3-Stripes for many years to come." Sania Mirza Said.

“Sania is a terrific addition to the adidas family,” said Jim Latham, Head of Global Sports Marketing Tennis at adidas. “Together with Ana Ivanovic and Anna Chakvetadze, Sania will lead our next generation of players. Sania has had a great 2007 and with her superb all-court game, we are sure she will be a force to reckon with on the tour.”

Sania Mirza now the 2nd highest ranked tennis player from Asia @ 27 and her next feat is to break into the top 20 in the world.

Sania now officially earns her stripes joining a long list of adidas tennis stars, such as the World Number One Justine Henin, Novak Djokovic, Ana Ivanovic, Fernando Gonzalez, Marcos Baghdatis, Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan as well as adidas ambassadors Andre Agassi, Steffi Graf, Stan Smith and Ilie Nastase to wear state-of-the-art adidas tennis products.

Indian Tennis Queen SANIA MIRZA has beed named as WTA Newcomer of the Year 2005.

Sania Mirza received the award at the second annual ATP and Sony Ericsson WTA Awards function held Miami, Florida in USA.

The award was attributed to Sania Mirza's amazing feat of achivements last year. She started last year as WTA 163rd ranked player and reached her career high of 31, won Hyderabad Open 2005, reached theird round in Australian Open and Wibeldon and fourth round in US Open.

Considering her fitness problem - ankle injuries, Sania Mirza could have achived more.

People in Sania Mirza's home town Hyderabad celebrated with joy and wished her more success in coming days.

 "I am feeling very happy for Sania Mirza," Junaid, a young tennis player said, "I hope that she gets more awards. She should continue playing nicely and she should see that she doesn't become overconfident and play coolly."

"Sania has a good forearm. She is very aggressive. She has beaten all good players and has also given a tough fight to other players. She has done well in her first Grand Slam. So, I think she is doing well," said Janaki, a Hydarabadi girl, who
further said she was awestruck by Mirza's aggressiveness. She also think that Sania Mirza is the perfect role model for girls like her.

Sania Mirza's former coach Narendranath said, "It's a good recognition to have because it's an organisation controlled by all tennis professionals and for them to recognise Sania Mirza as a potential newcomer is creditable."

Indian Tennis Sensation Sania Mirza show her ability to the former world number 1 and come-back queen Maritina Hingis in the second set of the match. She lost the first round match 3-6, 7-5, in Dubai Women Open Tennis.

48th ranked Hingis is a wildcard in $1 million event, broke Sania Mirza in fourth game of first set to take a lead 3 -1.

Sania Mirza excecuted a rasping backhand winner in next game. But the Swiss Miss broke back in the sixth game and served for set in the ninth game.

Sania Mirza and Hingis were breaks each other in the second set. Sania Mirza levelled 3-3 with an overhead smash.

In seventh game, Hingis drive landed on the baseline when a a spectator had yelled "out", Truly it proved more than a point as Sania Mirza was looking real good at this point of the game. "It was unfortunate because it was an important point: it was 3-3 and I was coming back," Sania Mirza said later.

The commotion in the 5000 strong crowd, mainly Indian expatriates, all supporting Sania Mirza, proved negative to her today.

Even Hingis said, "It has given me perspective. I might have got annoyed in this match had I played it when I was younger," about the noise from the crowd. Even there was record number of "quite please" calls from the chair.

Sania Mirza also found it annoying as she walked to the umpire's chair and complained about topsy-turvyness.

"If I had got that point maybe everything would have been different," Sania Mirza refered to the situation later.

"I still think the linesman made a call but obviously he didn't because he said so. The only thing which was wrong was that the umpire put his finger up. And I stopped playing. This is something which is not in your control," Sania Mirza said.

Sania Mirza was realistic, when she said, "But I am going to get a lot more bad calls in my career and a lot more good ones too."

Sania Mirza went to the court carrying two or three injuries including a strained arm which was heavily strapped.

Sania Mirza may withdraw from the Doha tournament next week due to her fitness problem, but remained unclear when she said "It could be."

Sania Mirza would meet Martina Hingis, five time Grand Slam Champion, in the first round of Dubai Duty Free Women's Open.

Last year the very tournament shot Sania Mirza's fame to sky, when she defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, then US Open Champion. Sania entered last year draw as wild card.

Martina Hingis, who won the inaugural Dubai Tennis Championship title in 2001, returned to tennis in January after her three year absence due to leg injury. Swiss Miss is ranked 48 after her excellent performance in Australian Open where she advanced to quarterfinals and beat Maria Sharapova in the semifinals of the Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo.

Sania Mirza has a tough draw, as she may meet former French Open champion Anastasia Myskina if she went past Martina Hingis and has the prospect of meeting Maria Sharapova in the quarter finals if she runs through Myskina.

Dubai Duty Free Women's Open is a WTA Tier-II outdoor hardcourt event with the prize money of US$ one million. Also top four seeded players - defending champion and world number 1 Lindsay Davenport, Australian Open winner Amelie Mauresmo,  Maria Sharapova and Justine Henin-Hardenne - all received first-round byes in the 32-player event that starts on Monday - 20th February

Nothing went well for top seeded Sania Mirza on her second outing in Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association courts, Bangalore.

Sania Mirza suffered a shock defeat at the hands of 110th ranked French player Camille Pin in the second round of Bangalore Open 6-1, 5-7, 2-6.

In the first set everything appeared to go Sania Mirza's way, but she lost the rhythm in the second set and allowed Camille pin to overpower the tournaments favorite.

Further to a wrong line call that went against Sania Mirza, her elbow alsos gave some trouble, as she was attended twice in the match.

A power packed attcking tennis player Sania Mirza find it difficult to sustain the style of play - lobbing, slicing and back shots - which was not her style at all.

"It was a different kind of a match. She did what she had to, to win. There was nothing much I could do when someone plays like that, I tried lobbing back on a couple of occasions but that's not how I play," said Sania Mirza.

Further Sania Mirza added "It takes practice to learn to play against such players. Her shots had no pace, and when you have so much time to hit, it's more difficult. I guess I have to learn to adapt."

About the poor serves today due to the elobw, Sania Mirza said "my elbow was hurting each time I served, so I'm not so disappointed with my serve."

Pin, who did nothing special to win other than lob said, "Sania is good at offence, I'm good at defence. The shots that I hit are not my natural style of playing, but I had to do something different after the first set. I also cut down on my mistakes, because I don't hit that many winners."

Indian Tennis Ace Sania Mirza mauled Germany's Martina Muller 6-2, 6-2, in the first round of the Bangalore Open at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association Stadium, on Tuesday.

Muller ranked 102 is no match to technically redefined Sania Mirza, still the opening round was a feast to the big crowd, as the German put some effort to make it a match.

Sania Mirza was serving a lot away from her body, Muller was made to shuffle between the T and the edge of the box. Most of the time Sania's serve went past Muller with ease.

The crowds that had turned out to support Sania were not disappointed as she enthralled them with some blistering shots down the line.

All Sania Mirza had to do was pound the short balls, and smack those forehands as her serve doing the rest.

Sania Mirza made sure she was in the right position to generate a lot of pace off her own shots as Muller is in no hurry to see the rallies end.

Muller said "I didn't have rhythm and it's hard to find rhythm against someone like Sania. I didn't return well either," further she added “When Sania hits those forehands in the correct spots, it is very hard because she strikes them very hard.”

"She makes you hit a lot of balls and it gets a bit hard because her shots have no pace. But I adapted well and I'm happy," said Sania Mirza.

Sania Mirza is still working on her highly speculated serve which is under gradual repair at Tony Roche’s Australia workshop. Sania Mirza later explained about the corrections she has carried out on her serve, “I’ve changed my serve technically, and now it’s a little slower, though it will take some time for everything to fall into place.”

About her next match with Camille Pin, Sania Mirza said, "We'll see how it goes. I will look to stick to my basics. There is a lot of depth in women's tennis. Anybody can beat anyone."

Indian teen Idol Sania Mirza is endorsing Sprite, a thurst quencher drink from Coca Cola India.

Mr.Vikas Gupta, Vice President Marketing of Coca-Cola India said "yes, Sprite is a no nonsense brand - with an in- your-face and chilled out approach to life. Our communication has always exalted the brand as the thirst quencher, and baaki sab bakwaas. The current commercial retains this theme, yet interestingly incorporates Sania Mirza into the story."

Further Mr.Gupta asserted the reason for choosing Sania Mirza, "Like the masses we at Coca-Cola India too admire Sania not only for her game but also for her direct speak and unpretentious approach to her achievements."


Sania Mirza said, "Honestly, Sprite has always been my favorite drink" and she explained "It has stood for a refreshing youthful attitude - one that I identify with. It's got this cutting edge straightforwardness. I relate to it since it is similar to my outlook in life. Being a part of Sprite's campaign is quite exciting for me."

The commercial has been produced by Sabal Sheikhawat and his production company Big Picture Company. Ogilvy & Mather Delhi is the creative agency for Sprite. The ads would be in print, TV commercials and outdoors.

The ad delivers an honest message through a cutting edge humorous scenario. A quirky, pretentious teen age guy rudely discovers that Sprite quenches Sania Mirza's thirst and refreshes her, and has nothing to do with her success.

The company believes that this campaign will connect with today's youth, all of whom have realised that they need to work hard to achieve their desired goals instead of sitting around waiting for a miracle to happen.