Melbourne, Jan 23 (IANS) Indian tennis star Sania Mirza’s campaign at the Australian Open came to an abrupt end on Thursday after she retired mid-way into her women’s doubles first-round match with an injury.
Mirza and her Ukranian partner Nadiia Kichenok were trailing 0-1 in the second set against the Chinese pair of Xinyun Han and Lin Zhu when the Indian was forced to retire due to a calf injury. The Indo-Ukranian pair had lost the first set 2-6.
Mirza, who had injured her leg during practice, went into the match with heavy strapping and didn’t look comfortable throughout the 33 minutes the match was played.
The 33-year-old had earlier pulled out of the mixed doubles event — where she was supposed to partner with compatriot Rohan Bopanna — following the same injury.
Former doubles No.1 Mirza and Kichenok had last week won the Hobart International title after defeating second-seeded Chinese duo Peng Shuai and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-4 in the final.
Three-time doubles Grand Slam winner Mirza has returned to competition after a two-year hiatus, initially due to injuries and then welcoming her son in October 2018.
The Indian star last won a trophy alongside Bethanie Mattek-Sands at the Brisbane International in the first week of the 2017 season, one of three doubles finals she reached that year before announcing her pregnancy in April of 2018.
–IANS
aak/in