New Delhi : “It’s an amazing feeling to wake up as Wimbledon champion,” said Sania Mirza after crowning herself to glory following a historic triumph at the most coveted Grand Slam championship.
Sania and ‘Swiss Miss’ Martina Hingis scripted a grand comeback after trailing 2-5 in the final set of the women’s doubles final and the Indian said the match brought the best out of all four players.
They eked out a 5-7 7-6(4) 7-5 win over familiar rivals Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina after battling hard for two hours and 25 minutes at the hallowed Centre Court.
“It was the best match you could have asked for in the final, all four of us put everything out there. We played amazing tennis. I am glad that we came out on top. It’s amazing feeling to wake up as Wimbledon champions,” Sania told PTI during an exclusive interaction from London.
Sania said she was in no mood to rest as she has already trained her eyes on the hard court season, leading up to the US Open — last Grand Slam of a calendar year.
“I am looking forward towards bigger and better things. Soon hard court season will start again. I just have to keep working hard,” she said.
Sania, who recently became world number one in doubles, now has won titles at all Grand Slam events. She won three mixed doubles (two with Mahesh Bhupathi and the other with Bruno Soares) and the first ever women’s doubles on Saturday.
“This is something, we dream of and try to achieve. I am very fortunate that I have been able to achieve it in my career. I am really happy to have played Wimbledon final and won it,” she said.
Vesnina, who has paired with Sania and even reached French Open final with the Indian in 2011, was terrific at the net and often came out with audacious volley winners.
It was third final that Sania and Hingis played with the Russian pair and they have emerged champions all the time. Sania said the Russians played better at Wimbledon than what they did in earlier summit clashes.
“This surface makes a big difference. Grass courts suits them better because they serve pretty big. Our big strength is return and it sort of negated that.”
Asked about her preference of courts, she said, “I like grass a lot but hard courts still remain my favourite.” — PTI
