India's Tennis Icon Sania Mirza bids farewell to Grand Slam

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna were defeated in the Australian Open mixed doubles - which  was termed as ‘Last Dance’- by Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos of Brazil on Friday at Melbourne Park. The Brazilian pair clinched their maiden Grand Slam. 

The FIRST all-🇧🇷 team to win a Grand Slam mixed doubles title!

Rafael Matos • @Luisa__Stefani • @wwos • @espn • @eurosport • @wowowtennis • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/Aw4UDtZsOP

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2023

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Indian women’s tennis legend Sania Mirza got emotional while bidding adieu to Grand Slam tennis. 
“Disclaimer, If I cry, it is happy tears, not sad tears. I don’t want to take away the moment from Matos-Stefani, who have deserved this,” Mirza said while addressing the crowd at the Rod Laver Arena during the presentation ceremony.

“My professional career started in Melbourne… I couldn’t think of a better arena to finish my [Grand Slam] career at.”

We love you, Sania ❤️@MirzaSania • #AusOpen • #AO2023 pic.twitter.com/E0dNogh1d0

— #AusOpen (@AustralianOpen) January 27, 2023

It was in 2009 when Sania Mirza won the Australian Open when she partnered with Mahesh Bhupathi to win the mixed doubles crown defeating Nathalie Dechy and Andy Ram. 

The last dance 🧚🏽‍♀️💜🎾 @AustralianOpen @WTA pic.twitter.com/mR6omkQjB2

— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) January 22, 2023

While the Australian Open was her final Grand Slam tournament, she will be playing her final tournament next month in Dubai, where she has been residing for a decade now.

Sania and Rohan reached the final of the mixed doubles event after defeating the third-seeded pairing of England’s Neal Skupski and United States’ Desirae Krawczyk. It was Sania Mirza’s final Grand Slam with Rohan Bopanna where the duo were defeated 7(7)-6(2), 6-2 by Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos.