Australian Open 2020: Sania Mirza pulls out of mixed doubles due to calf injury

As reported by Firstpost, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza has pulled out of the Australian Open mixed doubles draw citing a calf injury. In her absence, Rohan Bopanna will pair up with Nadiia Kichenok, who is also Sania's doubles partner.

Saina, a former World No. 1 doubles player, made a comeback to competitive tennis after a gap of over two years, earlier this month. She capped off her extended maternity leave superbly by winning the Hobart International title alongside Kichenok. However, her calf problems were quite visible in the latter of stages of the tournament.

Sania was supposed to partner Bopanna in mixed doubles for the year's first Grand Slam campaign and the draw was supposed to be held later today. But the 33-year-old hurt her calf, thus forcing Bopanna to change his partner at the last moment.

Whether or not Sania will be seen in action in women's doubles is still not confirmed. She is scheduled to play her match on Thursday and has not pulled out of that event yet.

"I was supposed to play mixed doubles with Sania but that’s not happening now as she hurt her calf. I had to change partners at the last minute and now I’ll be playing with Sania’s doubles partner, Nadiia Kichenok. This happened today as the cut for mixed doubles closed at 4 pm,” Bopanna said.

“I don’t know how she’s feeling for the women’s doubles. I just know that she did not want to push her injury much and she pulled out of mixed doubles. For the women’s doubles, it all depends on how she’s feeling,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Bopanna crashed out in the first round of the men’s doubles at the Australian Open. He and Yasutaka Uchiyama lost to the Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, of the USA 1-6, 6-3, 3-6, in a closely fought encounter.