Sania Mirza returns to tennis on a winning note at Hobart International

After a two-year-long hiatus from the world of tennis, six-time Grand Slam Champion and former Doubles World No. 1, Sania Mirza made a winning comeback to competitive tennis at the Hobart International 2020. Sania paired up with Ukranian partner Nadiia Kichenok to defeat Oksana Kalashnikova of Georgia and Miyu Kato of Japan 2-6 7-6(3) [10-3] in the opening round of the tournament on Tuesday.

Mirza and Kichenok fought back after giving up the first set and took the second in the tiebreaker. The clincher was the match tiebreak which the Indo-Ukranian pair won with ease.

With this victory, the unseeded Indo-Ukranian pair reaches the quarterfinals where they will face the USA duo of Vania King and Christina Mchale, who pulled off a stunner to beat Spanish fourth seeds Georgina Garcia Perez and Sara Sorribes Tormo.

Sania is returning to the circuit after two years, having started a family with Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik.

Meanwhile, Sania has decided to pair with compatriot Rohan Bopanna at the Australian Open as Rajeev Ram, with whom she had originally planned to play at the first Grand Slam of the season, has pulled out. Sania and Rohan had last played in the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Sania Mirza has been shouldering the hopes of countless tennis fans throughout her illustrious career which looked to be on the verge of an end for the last year and a half. Brushing aside such worries, Mirza began her comeback for the January 13-18 WTA tournament. The Hobart International will give Sania the competitive vibe necessary for the upcoming Australian Open too.