In an exclusive interview with espnstar.com, Sania Mirza said her upcoming tour to the Las Vegas will help her gain confidence.

By Sudeer Mahavaadi

Q. Can you elaborate on your trip to the Las Vegas?

A. Well! I am going to train there for a week. It is going to be very important for me because Andrew Agassi’s trainer Reyes is going to guide me. What can you dream more? It should help me improve my game. He, as we all know, is a fantastic trainer. I am just excited about it.

Q: Once Agassi came back strongly from 140th position to No. 1, do you think even you can improve your ranking after getting training from him?

A: Well, I still don’t understand why too much importance is given to all these things. I am a tennis player, who is improving every time — doing better and better. Let me just do that rather than concentrating more on the rankings.

Everyone knows that I missed many tournaments during my injury and the hence the ranking went down. Ups and downs are pretty common in sports. You should only concentrate on your game, and I just believe in that.

Q: After the Australian Open, you played in Bangkok and Dubai, so you could hardly had time to relax.

A: Yes. In fact, there won’t be any time to relax in the near future as well with a lot of tournaments coming up. I can’t take anything for granted now. In Bangkok, we were unfortunate to lose in the finals, but in Dubai I did not play to my potential. But these two championships have kept me in good stead. One good thing is I am getting better and better with my wrist injury. That is a great satisfaction.

Q: Have you completely recovered from wrist injury?

A: Well, not hundred percent but I am very healthy now. Training hard, working hard and by God’s grace performing better. And more importantly, it is not a big worry for me now.

Q: What was going through your mind during the injury time last year?

A: I was just praying to the Almighty to help me get over that trauma. Yes, I really had tough time. In fact, that period was the toughest in my life. But my perseverance helped me overcome that. When I used to wake up in the morning I used to look at my wrist first and check every moment. I mentioned in my previous interviews that I was not even able to eat food. Thank God once again that I am pretty much fit now.

Q: Who do you think is the best coach you have worked with?

A: It would be really unfair to name just one coach. All the coaches who have guided me, have been very helpful in their own ways. I improved under their careful guidance. They all played a big role in my career.

Q: How much have your father’s guidance helped you?

A: It can’t be described in words. He has been my main motivator all through. He knows and understands the game. He studies my weaknesses and strengths. And because he travels with me most of the time, I always feel at home.

Q: How will the new WTA rules going to help you?

A: It has been there for some time and it helps everyone for that matter. You can talk to the coach, your guide and take their tips. Like when I don’t have any special coach, I talk to my father, take his help. However, I personally think that it helps the television viewership more than the players. The viewers can have the chance to enjoy.

Q: How do you rate India’s chances in the upcoming Davis Cup?

A: India has never done badly in the Davis Cup. We have a good history. We should again do better with Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi around. The youngsters like Somdev and Rohan Bopanna also have been living up to the expectations. So we certainly have good chance this time as well.

Q: You had a great start this year. What are your future plans?

A: Well, let me get the training in the Las Vegas and learn some important lessons there. Couple of other tournaments is also coming up before the important French Open and Wimbledon. What is more important for me at this stage is the fact that I am felling better now, than what I am going to achieve in future.

Q: Do you still enjoy the record of winning Grand Slam as the youngest player? Do you think your career plans have progressed as you wanted?

A: Well! In a way, yes. But everyday you improve. If you get from bad to worse you should feel sorry, but when you make good progress you should certainly feel satisfied. One of my dreams also came true earlier this year with the Australian Open Grand Slam mixed doubles title. I think it is right time for me now to show that whatever I have achieved till now are not just a flash in the pan.