<p>India's Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has become a national hero after his return from Pakistani custody. He was received by the Indian Air Force (IAF) team and the countrymen at the Wagah-Attari border on 1st March.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several Bollywood celebrities and famous personalities expressed their happiness on Twitter. Among all, Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, also shared a heartwarming post for Abhinandan following his return to India.</p>

<p>Taking to her Twitter handle, Mirza welcomed the brave soldier by writing, &nbsp;"Welcome back Wing Commander Abhinandan .. you are our HERO in the truest sense.. The country salutes you and the bravery and dignity you..Welcome Back Abinandan Jai Hind."</p>

<p>However, Sania's post soon saw a string of tweets, both from Indian and Pakistani users, trolling the Tennis star.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Here are some of the reactions:</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="in">Bhaaabiii... Ap bhi???<br />
😂<br />
We did just for you..<br />
Mekay ana Jana lga rahy takay 😇😂</p>
— Kiran Khan🇵🇰 (@light_frmheaven) <a href="https://twitter.com/light_frmheaven/status/1101529458765455360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">bhabi Rocked Shoaib Shocked</p>
— RehmaN HameeD (@IamRHB) <a href="https://twitter.com/IamRHB/status/1101473439171387393?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jantey hain yeh tweet kerna apki majboori thi... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbhinandanReturns?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbhinandanReturns</a> after a failed attempt! 😅</p>
— Syeda Bushra Aamir بشریٰ (@BushraAamir) <a href="https://twitter.com/BushraAamir/status/1101487258421608448?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Looks like you never saw a “hero” in your life. Feel sorry for you</p>
— Hina Jawaid (@DrHJawaid) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrHJawaid/status/1101783371171155968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="hi">Susral walo sath gardari bhabhi😑😂😂😂</p>
— Dija Rana (@Khadijarana11) <a href="https://twitter.com/Khadijarana11/status/1101816481728348160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I think you forgot to say "Thank you Pakistan"...!🤔 Pakistan released your Hero 😂.</p>
— Umair Niaz (@umairniaz506) <a href="https://twitter.com/umairniaz506/status/1102281341738061825?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Abhinandan Varthman, was captured by the Pakistani Forces after his fighter jet crashed while sending off Pakistani aircraft back during an attempt to airstrike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Soon things went out of control and before his jet crashed, he was forced to eject which made him land across the Line of Control.</p>

<p>A medical examination of the Wing Commander has identified a rib injury probably caused by an assault by local residents in Pakistan soon after he parachuted across the border.</p>


India's Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has become a national hero after his return from Pakistani custody. He was received by the Indian Air Force (IAF) team and the countrymen at the Wagah-Attari border on 1st March.

India's Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman has become a national hero after his return from Pakistani custody. He was received by the Indian Air Force (IAF) team and the countrymen at the Wagah-Attari border on 1st March. Several Bollywood celebrities and famous personalities expressed their happiness on Twitter. Among all, Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, also shared a heartwarming post for Abhinandan following his return to India. Taking to her Twitter handle, Mirza welcomed the brave soldier by writing, "Welcome back Wing Commander Abhinandan .. you are our HERO in the truest sense.. The country salutes you and the bravery and dignity you..Welcome Back Abinandan Jai Hind." However, Sania's post soon saw a string of tweets, both from Indian and Pakistani users, trolling the Tennis star. Here are some of the reactions: Bhaaabiii... Ap bhi??? 😂 We did just for you.. Mekay ana Jana lga rahy takay 😇😂 — Kiran Khan🇵🇰 (@light_frmheaven) March 1, 2019 × bhabi Rocked Shoaib Shocked — RehmaN HameeD (@IamRHB) March 1, 2019 × Jantey hain yeh tweet kerna apki majboori thi... #AbhinandanReturns after a failed attempt! 😅 — Syeda Bushra Aamir بشریٰ (@BushraAamir) March 1, 2019 × Looks like you never saw a “hero” in your life. Feel sorry for you — Hina Jawaid (@DrHJawaid) March 2, 2019 × Susral walo sath gardari bhabhi😑😂😂😂 — Dija Rana (@Khadijarana11) March 2, 2019 × I think you forgot to say "Thank you Pakistan"...!🤔 Pakistan released your Hero 😂. — Umair Niaz (@umairniaz506) March 3, 2019 × Abhinandan Varthman, was captured by the Pakistani Forces after his fighter jet crashed while sending off Pakistani aircraft back during an attempt to airstrike. Soon things went out of control and before his jet crashed, he was forced to eject which made him land across the Line of Control. A medical examination of the Wing Commander has identified a rib injury probably caused by an assault by local residents in Pakistan soon after he parachuted across the border.

Sania Mirza tweets on IAF pilot Abhinandan's return, hilariously trolled by India, Pak users

<p>As the country rejoiced and celebrated the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as he crossed over the Indian border at 9.17 pm on Friday, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and sports fraternity flooded Twitter with welcome messages for India's hero.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Minutes after Abhinandan was received by Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army, BCCI posted a picture of IAF pilot's name engraved on Team India jersey.</p>

<p>Welcoming the pilot, the BCCI tweeted: "#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan You rule the skies and you rule our hearts. Your courage and dignity will inspire generations to come #TeamIndia."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeHomeAbhinandan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan</a> You rule the skies and you rule our hearts. Your courage and dignity will inspire generations to come 🇮🇳 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/PbG385LUsE">pic.twitter.com/PbG385LUsE</a></p>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1101511525267697664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Former Indian skipper and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also welcomed Abhinandan and tweeted, "A hero is more than just four letters. Through his courage, selflessness and perseverance, OUR HERO teaches us to have faith in ourselves.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A hero is more than just four letters. Through his courage, selflessness and perseverance, OUR HERO teaches us to have faith in ourselves.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WelcomeHomeAbhinandan?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan</a><br />
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Jai Hind 🇮🇳</p>
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) <a href="https://twitter.com/sachin_rt/status/1101510399512403969?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan Jai Hind."Team India captain Virat Kohli in his Twitter wrote "Real Hero. I bow down to you. Jai Hind".Former India coach, Anil Kumble, in a tweet, said: "We salute your bravery&nbsp;</p>

<p>#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan."Ace Indian tennis player, Sania Mirza tweeted: "Welcome back Wing Commander Abhinandan .. you are our HERO in the truest sense.. The country salutes you and the bravery and dignity you have shown #Respect #WelcomeBackAbinandan Jai Hind."</p>

<p>Other cricketers like Gautam Gambhir, Virendra Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma kept flooding Twitter with congratulatory messages throughout the day, welcoming Abhinandan.</p>

<p>Ace Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, also posted a heartwarming message for Abhinandan following his return to India."Welcome back Wing Commander Abhinandan .. you are our HERO in the truest sense.. The country salutes you and the bravery and dignity you have shown #Respect #WelcomeBackAbinandan Jai Hind," Sania Mirza tweeted.</p>


As the country rejoiced and celebrated the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as he crossed over the Indian border at 9.17 pm on Friday, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and sports fraternity flooded Twitter with welcome messages for India's hero.

As the country rejoiced and celebrated the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman as he crossed over the Indian border at 9.17 pm on Friday, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and sports fraternity flooded Twitter with welcome messages for India's hero. Minutes after Abhinandan was received by Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army, BCCI posted a picture of IAF pilot's name engraved on Team India jersey. Welcoming the pilot, the BCCI tweeted: "#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan You rule the skies and you rule our hearts. Your courage and dignity will inspire generations to come #TeamIndia." #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan You rule the skies and you rule our hearts. Your courage and dignity will inspire generations to come 🇮🇳 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/PbG385LUsE — BCCI (@BCCI) March 1, 2019 × Former Indian skipper and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar also welcomed Abhinandan and tweeted, "A hero is more than just four letters. Through his courage, selflessness and perseverance, OUR HERO teaches us to have faith in ourselves. A hero is more than just four letters. Through his courage, selflessness and perseverance, OUR HERO teaches us to have faith in ourselves.#WelcomeHomeAbhinandan Jai Hind 🇮🇳 — Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) March 1, 2019 × #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan Jai Hind."Team India captain Virat Kohli in his Twitter wrote "Real Hero. I bow down to you. Jai Hind".Former India coach, Anil Kumble, in a tweet, said: "We salute your bravery #WelcomeHomeAbhinandan."Ace Indian tennis player, Sania Mirza tweeted: "Welcome back Wing Commander Abhinandan .. you are our HERO in the truest sense.. The country salutes you and the bravery and dignity you have shown #Respect #WelcomeBackAbinandan Jai Hind." Other cricketers like Gautam Gambhir, Virendra Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Rohit Sharma kept flooding Twitter with congratulatory messages throughout the day, welcoming Abhinandan. Ace Indian tennis player Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, also posted a heartwarming message for Abhinandan following his return to India."Welcome back Wing Commander Abhinandan .. you are our HERO in the truest sense.. The country salutes you and the bravery and dignity you have shown #Respect #WelcomeBackAbinandan Jai Hind," Sania Mirza tweeted.

'You rule the skies and you rule our hearts,' BCCI welcomes IAF Wing Commander Abhinandan

<p>He isn't involved with Indian tennis but the legendary <a href="http://www.wionews.com/search?q=Boris+Becker">Boris Becker</a> knows that the country's top stars have been "fighting a little" and urged the trio of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to work together for the sport's sake while speaking ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Talking about Indian tennis, which has not been able to produce world-class singles players in the last three decades, Becker said that the trio (all doubles specialists) need to unite to take the game forward in their country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"India has a long success history in tennis. You have to have large pool of players, so that some of them go on to win titles. At the moment you don't see them but I would say it is a matter of time," the German great told PTI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Tennis is very popular in India, I know that for a fact. May be the likes of Sania, Bhupathi and Paes need to do something about it. I know they are fighting a little but that is the only solution (to work together)," he added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Paes, Bhupathi and Mirza have had public spats over choice of doubles partners at multi-sport events in the past.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Last year, Paes had pulled out of the Asian Games, complaining that he did not get a partner of choice for the men's doubles event.&nbsp;</p>


He isn't involved with Indian tennis but the legendary Boris Becker knows that the country's top stars have been "fighting a little" and urged the trio of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to work together for the sport's sake while speaking ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards.

He isn't involved with Indian tennis but the legendary Boris Becker knows that the country's top stars have been "fighting a little" and urged the trio of Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza to work together for the sport's sake while speaking ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards. Talking about Indian tennis, which has not been able to produce world-class singles players in the last three decades, Becker said that the trio (all doubles specialists) need to unite to take the game forward in their country. "India has a long success history in tennis. You have to have large pool of players, so that some of them go on to win titles. At the moment you don't see them but I would say it is a matter of time," the German great told PTI. "Tennis is very popular in India, I know that for a fact. May be the likes of Sania, Bhupathi and Paes need to do something about it. I know they are fighting a little but that is the only solution (to work together)," he added. Paes, Bhupathi and Mirza have had public spats over choice of doubles partners at multi-sport events in the past. Last year, Paes had pulled out of the Asian Games, complaining that he did not get a partner of choice for the men's doubles event.

Indian tennis stars 'fighting a little' but need to work together: Boris Becker

<p>Indian Tennis player Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, on Sunday posted a heartfelt message for the CRPF soldiers, who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack.</p>

<p>Sania Mirza not only offered her support for the soldiers and their families but also called 14th February a 'black day for India'.</p>

<p>"I stand with the CRPF jawaans and their families, my heart goes out to them and they are our true heroes who protect our country. 14th February was a black day for India and I hope we never have to see another day like this, no amount of condolences can make any of this better," Sania said in a lengthy post on Twitter.</p>

<p>Over 40 CRPF personnel were killed when their convoy was targeted on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The convoy comprised 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">We stand united 🕯 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PulwamaAttack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PulwamaAttack</a> <a href="https://t.co/Cmeij5X1On">pic.twitter.com/Cmeij5X1On</a></p>
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/1097041875012280320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
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<p>Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), whose leader Masood Azhar is a UN-designated terrorist, has claimed responsibility for the attack.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, Saina is one of the most successful Indian tennis player who was bestowed with Arjuna Award in 2004, Padma Shri in 2006, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2015 and Padma Bhushan in 2016 by the Indian government.&nbsp;</p>


Indian Tennis player Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, on Sunday posted a heartfelt message for the CRPF soldiers, who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack.

Indian Tennis player Sania Mirza, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, on Sunday posted a heartfelt message for the CRPF soldiers, who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack. Sania Mirza not only offered her support for the soldiers and their families but also called 14th February a 'black day for India'. "I stand with the CRPF jawaans and their families, my heart goes out to them and they are our true heroes who protect our country. 14th February was a black day for India and I hope we never have to see another day like this, no amount of condolences can make any of this better," Sania said in a lengthy post on Twitter. Over 40 CRPF personnel were killed when their convoy was targeted on Srinagar-Jammu national highway on Thursday. The convoy comprised 78 buses in which around 2,500 personnel were travelling from Jammu to Srinagar. We stand united 🕯 #PulwamaAttack pic.twitter.com/Cmeij5X1On — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) February 17, 2019 × Pakistan-based outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), whose leader Masood Azhar is a UN-designated terrorist, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Meanwhile, Saina is one of the most successful Indian tennis player who was bestowed with Arjuna Award in 2004, Padma Shri in 2006, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 2015 and Padma Bhushan in 2016 by the Indian government.

Sania Mirza condemns Pulwama attack, says 'I stand with CRPF jawaans, their families'

<p>It is the season of biopics. After the success of 'Sanju' several filmmakers have announced plans to make biopics. Now, the latest to add to the list in a film on Tennis star Sania Mirza's life. &nbsp;Sania on Friday announced that a biopic on her will be made by Bollywood filmmaker Ronnie Screwvala.<br />
<br />
Sania said she has signed a contract for the biopic and the initial work has already begun.<br />
<br />
"It's great. The talks have been going on for a while. The contract was signed. We are just looking forward to it," Sania said on the sidelines of an event.<br />
Sania, the only Indian woman tennis player to win a Grand Slam title (in doubles), said the making of the biopic was in the initial stages.<br />
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"It's all going to be mutual understanding. I think that obviously my input is important. Because, it's my story. So, I will have to.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
"We are literally in the very initial stages. So, we just announced it today. It will slowly get into the director, the writing, after that the casting. It's still a bit long way to go," she said when asked how she wished the film to come out and her inputs for the film.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Sania's biopic will add to earlier biographical films on sports stars like 'Mary Kom', 'Dangal', 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' and 'MS Dhoni'.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;Biopics on Saina Nehwal and Abhinav Bindra are also being made. while Shraddha Kapoor is essaying the Badminton star on screen, Harshvardhan Kapoor will be essaying Bindra on the big screen</p>


It is the season of biopics. After the success of 'Sanju' several filmmakers have announced plans to make biopics. Now, the latest to add to the list in a film on Tennis star Sania Mirza's life.

It is the season of biopics. After the success of 'Sanju' several filmmakers have announced plans to make biopics. Now, the latest to add to the list in a film on Tennis star Sania Mirza's life. Sania on Friday announced that a biopic on her will be made by Bollywood filmmaker Ronnie Screwvala. Sania said she has signed a contract for the biopic and the initial work has already begun. "It's great. The talks have been going on for a while. The contract was signed. We are just looking forward to it," Sania said on the sidelines of an event. Sania, the only Indian woman tennis player to win a Grand Slam title (in doubles), said the making of the biopic was in the initial stages. "It's all going to be mutual understanding. I think that obviously my input is important. Because, it's my story. So, I will have to. "We are literally in the very initial stages. So, we just announced it today. It will slowly get into the director, the writing, after that the casting. It's still a bit long way to go," she said when asked how she wished the film to come out and her inputs for the film. Sania's biopic will add to earlier biographical films on sports stars like 'Mary Kom', 'Dangal', 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' and 'MS Dhoni'. Biopics on Saina Nehwal and Abhinav Bindra are also being made. while Shraddha Kapoor is essaying the Badminton star on screen, Harshvardhan Kapoor will be essaying Bindra on the big screen

After Saina Nehwal , biopic on Sania Mirza announced

<p>By&nbsp;<strong>Kavya Nath</strong></p>

<p>Six-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza is adjusting to her new responsibilities of being a mother alongside her long-term love for the sport - Tennis.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The former World No. 1 has been out of action since October 2017,&nbsp;due to pregnancy, and gave birth to her first child- Izhaan - with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik.</p>

<p>The 32-year old, however, is planning an early return to the court as she feels that being a mother doesn't mean one should give up on their dreams.</p>

<p>"There are many tennis playing mothers who have done really well in the past as well, whether it was Kim Clijsters or Serena Williams today. They are definitely inspirational in many ways but I always believe that we being pregnant like a lot of people think is not the end of your world, its the beginning of your world, of your life, you should not give up on your own dreams just because you have a child, that is one of my inspirations to get back," Sania said in an exclusive interview with WION.</p>

<p>"Whatever I wish to do in my life whether it is playing tennis or anything else that I love, I don't think having a child should hold me back," she added.</p>

<p>When asked if there is any specific tournament with which she would like to make her return, Sania said she has no 'definite timeline' and first wants to get back to peak fitness.</p>

<p>"Roughly I would like to set end of the year or something, because honestly being pregnant, the whole thing it takes a lot of you, it takes a lot out of your body, to get back to peak fitness I will need some time, right now I am focusing on losing all the pregnancy weight, I start training with my trainer next month, we will see how may body reacts as well, I have no idea how its going to react. I am looking forward to a whole new journey, a new experience with my son and hopefully by the end of the year, if things go well I should be back."</p>

<p>Throughout her career, Mirza has established herself as the most successful and highest-paid female Indian tennis player ever.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, Sania was ranked &nbsp;India's No. 1 player in both the categories by the WTA.</p>

<p>On being asked if it was a tough decision for her to become a parent at the peak of her career, Sania said she felt 'it was the right time'.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I always wanted to be a parent and a mother. With my knee injury Shoaib and I spoke about it, it was either going to be this year or the next year that we were going to have a baby so we just thought the timing was right and everything turned out well, when we got pregnant we were elated and very happy."</p>

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<p>Sania, the former World No. 1 in the doubles discipline, will make her return as a working mom and was in a dilemma when questioned how tough it would be tough for her to play professionally and be a mom at the same time.</p>

<p>Terming it a bit of a hypothetical question, Sania said, "If you ask me as a mother on court yet I don't know...as a mother otherwise of course it is."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"You don't get the amount of sleep that you require, stuff like that is normal with a baby, by the end of the year he will be a little older as well, there will be a pattern to things, eating, sleeping and everything."</p>

<p>Sania, however, concluded the interview, saying it would be nice to travel for her tournaments with a new member, her son, on board.</p>

<p><em>(Kavya Nath is an Associate Producer, Sports with WION)</em></p>


By Kavya Nath Six-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza is adjusting to her new responsibilities of being a mother alongside her long-term love for the sport - Tennis.

By Kavya Nath Six-time Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza is adjusting to her new responsibilities of being a mother alongside her long-term love for the sport - Tennis. The former World No. 1 has been out of action since October 2017, due to pregnancy, and gave birth to her first child- Izhaan - with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. The 32-year old, however, is planning an early return to the court as she feels that being a mother doesn't mean one should give up on their dreams. "There are many tennis playing mothers who have done really well in the past as well, whether it was Kim Clijsters or Serena Williams today. They are definitely inspirational in many ways but I always believe that we being pregnant like a lot of people think is not the end of your world, its the beginning of your world, of your life, you should not give up on your own dreams just because you have a child, that is one of my inspirations to get back," Sania said in an exclusive interview with WION. "Whatever I wish to do in my life whether it is playing tennis or anything else that I love, I don't think having a child should hold me back," she added. When asked if there is any specific tournament with which she would like to make her return, Sania said she has no 'definite timeline' and first wants to get back to peak fitness. "Roughly I would like to set end of the year or something, because honestly being pregnant, the whole thing it takes a lot of you, it takes a lot out of your body, to get back to peak fitness I will need some time, right now I am focusing on losing all the pregnancy weight, I start training with my trainer next month, we will see how may body reacts as well, I have no idea how its going to react. I am looking forward to a whole new journey, a new experience with my son and hopefully by the end of the year, if things go well I should be back." Throughout her career, Mirza has established herself as the most successful and highest-paid female Indian tennis player ever. From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, Sania was ranked India's No. 1 player in both the categories by the WTA. On being asked if it was a tough decision for her to become a parent at the peak of her career, Sania said she felt 'it was the right time'. "I always wanted to be a parent and a mother. With my knee injury Shoaib and I spoke about it, it was either going to be this year or the next year that we were going to have a baby so we just thought the timing was right and everything turned out well, when we got pregnant we were elated and very happy." × Sania, the former World No. 1 in the doubles discipline, will make her return as a working mom and was in a dilemma when questioned how tough it would be tough for her to play professionally and be a mom at the same time. Terming it a bit of a hypothetical question, Sania said, "If you ask me as a mother on court yet I don't know...as a mother otherwise of course it is." "You don't get the amount of sleep that you require, stuff like that is normal with a baby, by the end of the year he will be a little older as well, there will be a pattern to things, eating, sleeping and everything." Sania, however, concluded the interview, saying it would be nice to travel for her tournaments with a new member, her son, on board. (Kavya Nath is an Associate Producer, Sports with WION)

'No definite timeline' but being a mother won't 'hold me back' from tennis: Sania Mirza to WION

<p>Tennis star Sania Mirza and her husband Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik&nbsp;have been blessed with a baby boy.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Sania delivered the child early Tuesday morning in Hyderabad and both mother and child are said to be doing well.&nbsp;<br />
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Shoaib tweeted: "Excited to announce: Its a boy, and my girl is doing great and keeping strong as usual #Alhumdulilah. Thank you for the wishes and Duas, we are humbled #BabyMirzaMalik."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Excited to announce: Its a boy, and my girl is doing great and keeping strong as usual <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Alhumdulilah?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Alhumdulilah</a>. Thank you for the wishes and Duas, we are humbled 🙏🏼 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BabyMirzaMalik?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BabyMirzaMalik</a> 👼🏼</p>
— Shoaib Malik 🇵🇰 (@realshoaibmalik) <a href="https://twitter.com/realshoaibmalik/status/1057090038993870849?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Sania Mirza's friend, filmmaker Farah Khan also wished the new parents and took to Instagram to express her excitement.&nbsp;</p>

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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BpifBBdgUTg/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">Finally!! Best news in a long time!! Congratulations @mirzasaniar @realshoaibmalik @anammirzaaa @imranmirza58 n of course the nani n daadi ♥️god bless our lil angel</a></p>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/farahkhankunder/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px;" target="_blank"> Farah Khan Kunder</a> (@farahkhankunder) on <time datetime="2018-10-30T01:28:36+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">Oct 29, 2018 at 6:28pm PDT</time></p>
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<p style=" margin:8px 0 0 0; padding:0 4px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bpipj_sAQnn/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">My dearest n best friend becomes a mum!! @mirzasaniar I couldn’t b happier 🎉🎉🎉lov uuuuu n arriving soon to meet the lil prince♥️♥️♥️</a></p>

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<p>Sania married Shoaib in a traditional Hyderabadi Muslim wedding ceremony on April 12, 2010.</p>


Tennis star Sania Mirza and her husband Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik have been blessed with a baby boy. Sania delivered the child early Tuesday morning in Hyderabad and both mother and child are said to be doing well.

Tennis star Sania Mirza and her husband Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik have been blessed with a baby boy. Sania delivered the child early Tuesday morning in Hyderabad and both mother and child are said to be doing well. Shoaib tweeted: "Excited to announce: Its a boy, and my girl is doing great and keeping strong as usual #Alhumdulilah. Thank you for the wishes and Duas, we are humbled #BabyMirzaMalik." Excited to announce: Its a boy, and my girl is doing great and keeping strong as usual #Alhumdulilah. Thank you for the wishes and Duas, we are humbled 🙏🏼 #BabyMirzaMalik 👼🏼 — Shoaib Malik 🇵🇰 (@realshoaibmalik) October 30, 2018 × Sania Mirza's friend, filmmaker Farah Khan also wished the new parents and took to Instagram to express her excitement. View this post on Instagram Finally!! Best news in a long time!! Congratulations @mirzasaniar @realshoaibmalik @anammirzaaa @imranmirza58 n of course the nani n daadi ♥️god bless our lil angel A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) on Oct 29, 2018 at 6:28pm PDT × View this post on Instagram My dearest n best friend becomes a mum!! @mirzasaniar I couldn’t b happier 🎉🎉🎉lov uuuuu n arriving soon to meet the lil prince♥️♥️♥️ A post shared by Farah Khan Kunder (@farahkhankunder) on Oct 29, 2018 at 8:00pm PDT × Sania married Shoaib in a traditional Hyderabadi Muslim wedding ceremony on April 12, 2010.

It's a boy and my girl is doing great: Shoaib Malik announces he & Sania Mirza are parents

<p>While India and Pakistan's fierce cricket rivalry has been on display at the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, some families in the country have divided loyalties.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The UAE is home to many cricket-loving cross-border couples from India and Pakistan who find it an easier option than living on the subcontinent, where Pakistanis have trouble getting visas for India, and vice versa.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cross-border ties have been strained ever since the violence and upheaval that accompanied the creation of modern India and Pakistan at the end of British rule in August 1947.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two have fought three wars since becoming independent, deepening mistrust and suspicion of each other, while thousands of families remain divided by the border.</p>

<p>Relations further soured after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and cross-border unions are now few and far between.&nbsp;</p>

<p>One rare high-profile example is Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her husband, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, who have a home in Dubai.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Indian national Kasim Vakkil and his wife Ghazala, from Pakistan, are also part of the UAE's large South Asian community.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"My marriage would not have been possible if we were not living in UAE," Kasim told AFP.</p>

<p>"Ghazala is from Lahore and I am from Mumbai but living at this neutral venue made our marriage possible."</p>

<p>They came together through cricket when Kasim met his future father-in-law at a game between Pakistan and South Africa in the UAE, where Pakistan hosts games owing to the risk of terror attacks on home soil.</p>

<p>"I went to watch a match between Pakistan and South Africa in 2014 where I met Ghazala's father which became the first step towards our proposal," said Kasim, a former college-level fast bowler in Mumbai.</p>

<p>"I would not have imagined watching Pakistani cricketers like Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Amir before my own eyes but it became possible since UAE became a neutral venue for the Pakistan team."&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>'Double joy'&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>Ghazala, who works in human resources, said watching India and Pakistan play made her think of home.</p>

<p>India thrashed Pakistan by eight wickets in the group stage and they are set to meet again in the Super Fours on Sunday.</p>

<p>"Now with India and Pakistan playing in UAE for the Asian title it has given us double joy as we get to see players from both the countries which gives us a nostalgic feeling," said Ghazala.</p>

<p>India is playing in the Emirates for the first time since 2006, sparking huge interest among the country's large number of Indian expats.</p>

<p>Club-level cricketer Naveed Siraj hails from Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, while his wife, Nida, is from the Pakistani capital Islamabad.</p>

<p>"My uncle and aunty lived in Kuwait and Nida's family were their neighbours so they initiated the talk for our marriage," said Naveed.</p>

<p>"UAE is a neutral venue for all the expats from Pakistan and India so everyone lives here in comfort and enjoys everything including cricket."</p>

<p>Dubai taxi driver Sunil Manohar, from India's Karnataka state, married Nunda from Pakistan's Sindh province after their families met in the UAE.</p>

<p>"UAE is a nice place for cross-border families," he said. "In the past, a few couples were stuck in Pakistan because they were not getting an Indian visa."</p>


While India and Pakistan's fierce cricket rivalry has been on display at the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, some families in the country have divided loyalties.

While India and Pakistan's fierce cricket rivalry has been on display at the Asian Cup in the United Arab Emirates, some families in the country have divided loyalties. The UAE is home to many cricket-loving cross-border couples from India and Pakistan who find it an easier option than living on the subcontinent, where Pakistanis have trouble getting visas for India, and vice versa. Cross-border ties have been strained ever since the violence and upheaval that accompanied the creation of modern India and Pakistan at the end of British rule in August 1947. The two have fought three wars since becoming independent, deepening mistrust and suspicion of each other, while thousands of families remain divided by the border. Relations further soured after the 2008 Mumbai attacks, and cross-border unions are now few and far between. One rare high-profile example is Indian tennis player Sania Mirza and her husband, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, who have a home in Dubai. Indian national Kasim Vakkil and his wife Ghazala, from Pakistan, are also part of the UAE's large South Asian community. "My marriage would not have been possible if we were not living in UAE," Kasim told AFP. "Ghazala is from Lahore and I am from Mumbai but living at this neutral venue made our marriage possible." They came together through cricket when Kasim met his future father-in-law at a game between Pakistan and South Africa in the UAE, where Pakistan hosts games owing to the risk of terror attacks on home soil. "I went to watch a match between Pakistan and South Africa in 2014 where I met Ghazala's father which became the first step towards our proposal," said Kasim, a former college-level fast bowler in Mumbai. "I would not have imagined watching Pakistani cricketers like Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Amir before my own eyes but it became possible since UAE became a neutral venue for the Pakistan team." 'Double joy' Ghazala, who works in human resources, said watching India and Pakistan play made her think of home. India thrashed Pakistan by eight wickets in the group stage and they are set to meet again in the Super Fours on Sunday. "Now with India and Pakistan playing in UAE for the Asian title it has given us double joy as we get to see players from both the countries which gives us a nostalgic feeling," said Ghazala. India is playing in the Emirates for the first time since 2006, sparking huge interest among the country's large number of Indian expats. Club-level cricketer Naveed Siraj hails from Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, while his wife, Nida, is from the Pakistani capital Islamabad. "My uncle and aunty lived in Kuwait and Nida's family were their neighbours so they initiated the talk for our marriage," said Naveed. "UAE is a neutral venue for all the expats from Pakistan and India so everyone lives here in comfort and enjoys everything including cricket." Dubai taxi driver Sunil Manohar, from India's Karnataka state, married Nunda from Pakistan's Sindh province after their families met in the UAE. "UAE is a nice place for cross-border families," he said. "In the past, a few couples were stuck in Pakistan because they were not getting an Indian visa."

The cricket-loving India, Pakistan couples prove love has no boundaries

<p>"A dreamer, believer, and doer — even against all odds” is how she describes herself. The golden girl of tennis, Sania Mirza, is idolized by millions -- both for her on-court aces and her off-court charisma.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sharing insights into her extraordinary journey during WION's Knowledge Seminar at Goafest 2018, the legend emphasised on the importance of failure and stubbornness to achieve success.</p>

<p>Sania expressed her appreciation for how India has made considerable progress in battling the scrutiny that female sportspersons are subjected to, while admitting that there's still a long way to go. "Even today girls need to give a justification as to why they want to play. It is difficult enough to be an athlete, but we as girls need to fight a battle on the court and off it".&nbsp;</p>

<p>In a candid conversation with WION's Molly Gambhir, Sania also shared how she has grown up believing that daughters are no different from sons. She went on to say, "My name is Sania Mirza, I didn't change my name post-marriage. In fact, let me tell you a secret today. My husband and I have spoken about it and we have decided that whenever we have a child, the child's last name will be Mirza-Malik. Shoaib actually wants a daughter."</p>

<p>On the contentious issue of the gender pay gap in sport, the tennis superstar minced no words. "Why should there be a difference? It's a question of 'why not' have equality rather than 'why'. Because they play best of 5 sets? We'll play 5 sets, no problem!", she exclaimed while expressing her frustration over arguments presented by those against equal prize-money for male and female athletes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Drawing parallels between being a global ambassador who's showcased brand India to the world and WION's journey of becoming India's window to the world, Sania shared how relentless pursuit always pays off when aiming to break barriers.</p>

<p>From playing on cow dung-laden courts to winning Wimbledon, Sania is an inspiration who believes "the trick is to keep going and pick yourself up each time they think you can't". She recalls, "When I started playing, people would ask my parents questions like - what, you think she will become Martina Hingis? And then she and I went on to achieve a 41-match winning streak together!"</p>

<p>On setting up the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy — another masterstroke from the phenomenon — Sania said she hopes the country does not have to wait too long to bring forth a world champion.</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


"We as girls need to fight a battle on the court and off it", Sania said, while making a strong case for closing the gender pay gap in sport

"A dreamer, believer, and doer — even against all odds” is how she describes herself. The golden girl of tennis, Sania Mirza, is idolized by millions -- both for her on-court aces and her off-court charisma. Sharing insights into her extraordinary journey during WION's Knowledge Seminar at Goafest 2018, the legend emphasised on the importance of failure and stubbornness to achieve success. Sania expressed her appreciation for how India has made considerable progress in battling the scrutiny that female sportspersons are subjected to, while admitting that there's still a long way to go. "Even today girls need to give a justification as to why they want to play. It is difficult enough to be an athlete, but we as girls need to fight a battle on the court and off it". In a candid conversation with WION's Molly Gambhir, Sania also shared how she has grown up believing that daughters are no different from sons. She went on to say, "My name is Sania Mirza, I didn't change my name post-marriage. In fact, let me tell you a secret today. My husband and I have spoken about it and we have decided that whenever we have a child, the child's last name will be Mirza-Malik. Shoaib actually wants a daughter." On the contentious issue of the gender pay gap in sport, the tennis superstar minced no words. "Why should there be a difference? It's a question of 'why not' have equality rather than 'why'. Because they play best of 5 sets? We'll play 5 sets, no problem!", she exclaimed while expressing her frustration over arguments presented by those against equal prize-money for male and female athletes. Drawing parallels between being a global ambassador who's showcased brand India to the world and WION's journey of becoming India's window to the world, Sania shared how relentless pursuit always pays off when aiming to break barriers. From playing on cow dung-laden courts to winning Wimbledon, Sania is an inspiration who believes "the trick is to keep going and pick yourself up each time they think you can't". She recalls, "When I started playing, people would ask my parents questions like - what, you think she will become Martina Hingis? And then she and I went on to achieve a 41-match winning streak together!" On setting up the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy — another masterstroke from the phenomenon — Sania said she hopes the country does not have to wait too long to bring forth a world champion. ×

My child's last name will be Mirza-Malik: Sania Mirza to WION

<p>Ace Tennis player Sania Mirza is one of the many Indian sports celebrities who extended her support to football skipper Sunil Chhetri, a day after he urged fans to come to stadium and watch the country play the sport.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She took to her Twitter handle to extend her support and commented on the video Chhetri shared on his account.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But her comment was not taken as a support by some Twitter users as she asked Chhetri to arrange tickets for her if possible.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Legend ? can I have tickets pls ??? <a href="https://t.co/OysLcazVVc">https://t.co/OysLcazVVc</a></p>
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/1003191413587128321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Within minutes, several Twitter users slammed Sania for her comment, with many advising her to buy them instead of asking.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Buy them ?</p>
— Giri 1478 (@giri1478) <a href="https://twitter.com/giri1478/status/1003258879210209280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nodusricountry?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nodusricountry</a></p>
— Nabadeka (@Nabadek75201330) <a href="https://twitter.com/Nabadek75201330/status/1003256152522493952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I have one extra ticket ..Please take permission from <a href="https://twitter.com/realshoaibmalik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realshoaibmalik</a> sir ...lol???</p>
— Choudhary Rajesh Ranwa (@Rajeshranwa04) <a href="https://twitter.com/Rajeshranwa04/status/1003266206638325760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MirzaSania</a> Fancy joining us, the <a href="https://twitter.com/BluePilgrims?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BluePilgrims</a> tomorrow????<br />
<br />
Hope to see you in Andheri...<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianFootball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianFootball</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndvsKen?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndvsKen</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SunilChetr100?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SunilChetr100</a> <a href="https://t.co/fihPE1Ne5b">pic.twitter.com/fihPE1Ne5b</a></p>
— Rutuj RMCF (@rutuj_k_) <a href="https://twitter.com/rutuj_k_/status/1003194169358102528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Here are the tickets <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MirzaSania</a> ! Will be great if you actually go and support ??</p>
— Rajesh Bajaj (@TheRajeshBajaj) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRajeshBajaj/status/1003220241852203011?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, the Indian football captain also replied to Sania's comment and assured to arrange the tickets if she promised to do the same during her games.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Only if you promise to sort me out with some when you're playing next!</p>
— Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) <a href="https://twitter.com/chetrisunil11/status/1003273190708150272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Chhetri made a plea to the fellow citizens to come support the Blue Tigers at the stadiums at every possible opportunity. He urged the people who abuse to come to the ground and scream at them instead of taking out their anger on the social media platforms. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The Blue Tigers will face&nbsp;Kenya today, which will also be Chhetri’s 100th international match.</p>


She commented on the video Chhetri shared on his account

Ace Tennis player Sania Mirza is one of the many Indian sports celebrities who extended her support to football skipper Sunil Chhetri, a day after he urged fans to come to stadium and watch the country play the sport. She took to her Twitter handle to extend her support and commented on the video Chhetri shared on his account. But her comment was not taken as a support by some Twitter users as she asked Chhetri to arrange tickets for her if possible. Legend ? can I have tickets pls ??? https://t.co/OysLcazVVc — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) June 3, 2018 × Within minutes, several Twitter users slammed Sania for her comment, with many advising her to buy them instead of asking. Buy them ? — Giri 1478 (@giri1478) June 3, 2018 × #nodusricountry — Nabadeka (@Nabadek75201330) June 3, 2018 × I have one extra ticket ..Please take permission from @realshoaibmalik sir ...lol??? — Choudhary Rajesh Ranwa (@Rajeshranwa04) June 3, 2018 × @MirzaSania Fancy joining us, the @BluePilgrims tomorrow???? Hope to see you in Andheri...#IndianFootball #IndvsKen #SunilChetr100 pic.twitter.com/fihPE1Ne5b — Rutuj RMCF (@rutuj_k_) June 3, 2018 × Here are the tickets @MirzaSania ! Will be great if you actually go and support ?? — Rajesh Bajaj (@TheRajeshBajaj) June 3, 2018 × Meanwhile, the Indian football captain also replied to Sania's comment and assured to arrange the tickets if she promised to do the same during her games. Only if you promise to sort me out with some when you're playing next! — Sunil Chhetri (@chetrisunil11) June 3, 2018 × Chhetri made a plea to the fellow citizens to come support the Blue Tigers at the stadiums at every possible opportunity. He urged the people who abuse to come to the ground and scream at them instead of taking out their anger on the social media platforms. The Blue Tigers will face Kenya today, which will also be Chhetri’s 100th international match.

Twitter trolls Sania Mirza for demanding football match tickets from Sunil Chhetri

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-reassures-pakistan-on-ties-ahead-of-xis-meeting-with-indias-modi-132264">Ties will 'never rust': China reassures Pakistan ahead of Xi's meeting with PM Modi</a></p>

<p>Ahead of this week's meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China today reassured Pakistan that relations between both the nations would "never rust" and are as firm as ever. &nbsp</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/china-pakistan-having-security-economic-issues-in-cpec-project-132289">China, Pakistan having security, economic issues in CPEC project: Report</a></p>

<p>The US $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project which is a part of Beijing's promising Belt Road Initiative (BRI) is now turning out to quiet a task in terms of security and in the economic front for China and Pakistan.&nbsp</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">It is either all or nothing, says Iran Foreign Minister over </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298">nuclear</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/it-is-either-all-or-nothing-says-iran-foreign-minister-over-nuclear-deal--132298"> deal</a></p>

<p>The European signatories of Iran's nuclear deal with major powers should convince US President Donald Trump not to exit the accord as there is no "plan B" for the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday (April 23).</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/dhaka-siliguri-kathmandu-bus-service-goes-on-trial-132320">Dhaka-Siliguri-Kathmandu bus service goes on trial</a></p>

<p>Government representatives of Bangladesh, India and Nepal launched the tri-nation trial bus service in Dhaka on Monday. Two buses from Dhaka set off for Kathmandu and would transit through Siliguri.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/good-news-sania-mirza-shoaib-malik-are-expecting-a-baby-132324">Good news! Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik are expecting a baby</a></p>

<p>Tennis champion Sania Mirza and husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, announced on Monday that they are expecting a baby in a post shared by the couple on Twitter and Instagram.&nbsp</p>


Read the five big stories of the day here

Ties will 'never rust': China reassures Pakistan ahead of Xi's meeting with PM Modi Ahead of this week's meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Indian counterpart Prime Minister Narendra Modi, China today reassured Pakistan that relations between both the nations would "never rust" and are as firm as ever. China, Pakistan having security, economic issues in CPEC project: Report The US $60 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project which is a part of Beijing's promising Belt Road Initiative (BRI) is now turning out to quiet a task in terms of security and in the economic front for China and Pakistan. It is either all or nothing, says Iran Foreign Minister over nuclear deal The European signatories of Iran's nuclear deal with major powers should convince US President Donald Trump not to exit the accord as there is no "plan B" for the agreement, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeted on Monday (April 23). Dhaka-Siliguri-Kathmandu bus service goes on trial Government representatives of Bangladesh, India and Nepal launched the tri-nation trial bus service in Dhaka on Monday. Two buses from Dhaka set off for Kathmandu and would transit through Siliguri. Good news! Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik are expecting a baby Tennis champion Sania Mirza and husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, announced on Monday that they are expecting a baby in a post shared by the couple on Twitter and Instagram.

News brief: Big stories of the day

<p>Tennis champion&nbsp;Sania Mirza and husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, announced on Monday that they are expecting a baby in a post shared by the couple on Twitter and Instagram.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik posted a picture on their Twitter accounts of a doodle which included a baby vest and a feeding bottle between two T-shirts bearing their names.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Mirza wrote #BabyMirzaMalik, Malik used #MirzaMalik. Wishes poured in for the happy couple from around the nation, expressing their love and excitement.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BabyMirzaMalik?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BabyMirzaMalik</a> ??❤️ <a href="https://t.co/RTYpqok1Vl">pic.twitter.com/RTYpqok1Vl</a></p>
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/988379668809039872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="und"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MirzaMalik?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MirzaMalik</a> ❤️ ?? <a href="https://t.co/8MKmA4CvR3">pic.twitter.com/8MKmA4CvR3</a></p>
— Shoaib Malik (@realshoaibmalik) <a href="https://twitter.com/realshoaibmalik/status/988379613360353280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Earlier in the month, Sania said that she and Shoaib want a daughter but whenever they decide to start a family, she would want her child's surname to be 'Mirza Malik'.</p>

<p>In an exclusive interview during <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/my-childs-last-name-will-be-mirza-malik-sania-mirza-to-wion-129182">WION's Knowledge Seminar at Goafest 2018</a>, the legend shared how she has grown up believing that daughters are no different from sons. She went on to say, "My name is Sania Mirza, I didn't change my name post-marriage. In fact, my child's last name will be Mirza Malik".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sania spoke about her personal experiences of gender bias, where she has heard some of her relatives telling her parents that they should have had a son so that the family name "goes ahead".</p>

<p>Sania married Pakistan cricketer Malik back in 2010 in Hyderabad and according to Pakistan tradition. This is their first child, eight years after the marriage.</p>

<p>The 31-year-old has been sidelined since October with a knee injury. She has slipped from number one in the world doubles ranking -- the first for an Indian woman -- to 24.</p>


Mirza and her husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, posted a picture on their Twitter accounts of a doodle which includeda baby vest and a feeding bottle between two T-shirts bearing their names

Tennis champion Sania Mirza and husband, former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, announced on Monday that they are expecting a baby in a post shared by the couple on Twitter and Instagram. Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik posted a picture on their Twitter accounts of a doodle which included a baby vest and a feeding bottle between two T-shirts bearing their names. While Mirza wrote #BabyMirzaMalik, Malik used #MirzaMalik. Wishes poured in for the happy couple from around the nation, expressing their love and excitement. #BabyMirzaMalik ??❤️ pic.twitter.com/RTYpqok1Vl — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) April 23, 2018 × #MirzaMalik ❤️ ?? pic.twitter.com/8MKmA4CvR3 — Shoaib Malik (@realshoaibmalik) April 23, 2018 × Earlier in the month, Sania said that she and Shoaib want a daughter but whenever they decide to start a family, she would want her child's surname to be 'Mirza Malik'. In an exclusive interview during WION's Knowledge Seminar at Goafest 2018, the legend shared how she has grown up believing that daughters are no different from sons. She went on to say, "My name is Sania Mirza, I didn't change my name post-marriage. In fact, my child's last name will be Mirza Malik". Sania spoke about her personal experiences of gender bias, where she has heard some of her relatives telling her parents that they should have had a son so that the family name "goes ahead". Sania married Pakistan cricketer Malik back in 2010 in Hyderabad and according to Pakistan tradition. This is their first child, eight years after the marriage. The 31-year-old has been sidelined since October with a knee injury. She has slipped from number one in the world doubles ranking -- the first for an Indian woman -- to 24.

Good news! Sania Mirza, Shoaib Malik are expecting a baby

<p>The kidnapping, gang rape, and murder of an eight-year-old&nbsp;girl in Kathua, Jammu has left the country in shock.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The child was kept at a temple, sedated, for several days,&nbsp;allegedly repeatedly raped, and finally murdered.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The main accused is a retired revenue department official, and the crime included policemen.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to the charge sheet, one of the policemen asked the killer to wait so that he could rape her one more time.</p>

<p>Eight people have so far been arrested, with a teenager included in the list of accused.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kathua-rape-case-union-minister-vk-singh-demands-justice-for-asifa-says-we-failed-as-humans-130083">We have failed her as humans: VK Singh</a></p>

<p>Tennis player Sania Mirza recently took to Twitter to express her anguish over the crime. "Is this really the kind of country <em class="gr-progress">we we</em> want to be known as to the world today ?? If we can’t stand up now for this 8 year old girl regardless of our gender,caste,colour or religion then we don’t stand for anything in this world.. not even humanity.. makes me sick to the stomach," she wrote on Twitter.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Is this really the kind of country we we want to be known as to the world today ?? If we can’t stand up now for this 8 year old girl regardless of our gender,caste,colour or religion then we don’t stand for anything in this world.. not even humanity.. makes me sick to the stomach <a href="https://t.co/BDcNuJvsoO">pic.twitter.com/BDcNuJvsoO</a></p>
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/984317357198725120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Soon, and sure enough, the trolls were at her door, with one of them essentially telling Sania to mind her own business because she was "no longer" India.&nbsp; &nbsp;</p>

<p>"With all respect madam which country are you talking abt. Last time I checked u had married into Pakistan. You no longer are a Indian. And if u must tweet <em class="gr-progress">thn</em> also tweet for the innocents killed by Pak terror outfits.."&nbsp;said @Kichu_chirps".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sania is married to the Pakistani cricket&nbsp;player Shoaib Malik.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"I play for India, I am Indian and always will be," replied Sania.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She tweeted: "First of all nobody marries ‘into’ anywhere .. you marry a person! Secondly NO LOW LIFE like you will tell me which country I belong to.. I play for India,I am Indian and always will be.. nd maybe if u look beyond religion and country one day you may just also stand for humanity!"&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">First of all nobody marries ‘into’ anywhere .. you marry a person! Secondly NO LOW LIFE like you will tell me which country I belong to.. I play for India,I am Indian and always will be.. nd maybe if u look beyond religion and country one day you may just also stand for humanity! <a href="https://t.co/0rF9SwG7WT">https://t.co/0rF9SwG7WT</a></p>
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/984330940259360768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Sania was responding to a tweet that had questioned her nationality

The kidnapping, gang rape, and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua, Jammu has left the country in shock. The child was kept at a temple, sedated, for several days, allegedly repeatedly raped, and finally murdered. The main accused is a retired revenue department official, and the crime included policemen. According to the charge sheet, one of the policemen asked the killer to wait so that he could rape her one more time. Eight people have so far been arrested, with a teenager included in the list of accused. Also read: We have failed her as humans: VK Singh Tennis player Sania Mirza recently took to Twitter to express her anguish over the crime. "Is this really the kind of country we we want to be known as to the world today ?? If we can’t stand up now for this 8 year old girl regardless of our gender,caste,colour or religion then we don’t stand for anything in this world.. not even humanity.. makes me sick to the stomach," she wrote on Twitter. Is this really the kind of country we we want to be known as to the world today ?? If we can’t stand up now for this 8 year old girl regardless of our gender,caste,colour or religion then we don’t stand for anything in this world.. not even humanity.. makes me sick to the stomach pic.twitter.com/BDcNuJvsoO — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) April 12, 2018 × Soon, and sure enough, the trolls were at her door, with one of them essentially telling Sania to mind her own business because she was "no longer" India. "With all respect madam which country are you talking abt. Last time I checked u had married into Pakistan. You no longer are a Indian. And if u must tweet thn also tweet for the innocents killed by Pak terror outfits.." said @Kichu_chirps". Sania is married to the Pakistani cricket player Shoaib Malik. "I play for India, I am Indian and always will be," replied Sania. She tweeted: "First of all nobody marries ‘into’ anywhere .. you marry a person! Secondly NO LOW LIFE like you will tell me which country I belong to.. I play for India,I am Indian and always will be.. nd maybe if u look beyond religion and country one day you may just also stand for humanity!" First of all nobody marries ‘into’ anywhere .. you marry a person! Secondly NO LOW LIFE like you will tell me which country I belong to.. I play for India,I am Indian and always will be.. nd maybe if u look beyond religion and country one day you may just also stand for humanity! https://t.co/0rF9SwG7WT — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) April 12, 2018 ×

I play for India, I am Indian and always will be: Sania Mirza

<p>Indian women have been scaling new heights in the field of sports and brought laurels to the country in the last few years. The ZEE News FAIRPLAY - a special day for women achievers in the field of sports - has recognised and honoured the special achievement and extraordinary feats by Indian women in the field of sports. The ZEE News FAIRPLAY is about inspiration, which is the key to everything we do.</p>

<p>Union minister for information and broadcasting Smriti Zubin Irani, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State Telecom and Railways Manoj Sinha and Minister of State Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel graced the occasion. The glittering function was well attended and took place at The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi.</p>

<p>Smriti Irani, Manoj Sinha and Prakash Javadekar lauded the winners and pointed out India has changed a lot in the last few years.</p>

<p>&quot;Women are coming forward in the sporting arena and it is a welcome development. It is a great sign for our country that our women athletes are winning on the world stage,&quot; said Irani.</p>

<p>Javadekar thanked Zee Media for the event and said that all the awardees have struggled a lot to reach the pinnacle of their sport. He added that their stories are an inspiration for the entire country.</p>

<p>Manoj Sinha and Anupriya Patel spoke about the hard work and tough training followed by the awardees. They expressed hope that all the athletes will continue to do well and bring more laurels for the country.</p>

<p>&quot;Women athletes have to face a lot of discrimination and they are generally treated as being inferior to the men. But this is not the case. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking a personal interest in ensuring we do well in sports. We have launched Khelo India too. We have made a good beginning.</p>

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<p>Women are more powerful and dedicated than men: Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Zee Group (Zee News Network)</p>
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<p>It is time to say &#39;<em>kheloge</em><em> to </em><em>khiloge</em>&#39;,&quot; said Anupriya Patel. Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subhash Chandra expressed his happiness at women sportsperson basking in the limelight.</p>

<p>&quot;It is great pleasure for me that Zee Media is felicitating sportswomen. Women are more powerful and dedicated than men. In our society, the men have always looked down upon women. But women are not weak. We will strive to bring more sportswomen forward,&quot; said Dr Chandra.</p>

<p><strong>List of Awardees:</strong></p>

<p><strong>Anjali Bhagwat</strong>: The rifle shooter is the first Indian to win at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Champion of Champions combined-air-rifle event when she emerged victorious in the 2002 edition. Anjali was the World Number One in 10m Air Rifle in 2002 and won her first World Cup Final in Milan, in 2003.</p>

<p>Anjali has represented India in three consecutive Olympics. She was a&nbsp;wildcard entry in the 2000 Sydney Olympics but reached the final, a first for an Indian women shooter. She dominated Commonwealth Games in the 10m Air Rifle and Sports Rifle 3P events and won 12 gold and four silver medals. She has won 31 gold, 23 silver and seven bronze medals in international competitions.</p>

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<p>Anjali Bhagwat is the first Indian to win at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Champion of Champions combined-air-rifle event (Zee News Network)</p>
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<p><strong>Saina Nehwal</strong>: The 28-year-old is a household name and synonymous with women badminton in the country. She is a former World Number 1 and has represented India in three Olympics - Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. She won the bronze medal at the London Olympics. She has over 23 international titles in her kitty. The government has honoured her with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award and the Padma Bhushan.</p>

<p><strong>Sania Mirza</strong>: The girl from Hyderabad showed the world that Indian women tennis players can compete with the best. Sania Mirza played in singles, doubles and mixed doubles events, and became the World Number 1 women&#39;s doubles player. She retired from singles in 2013. She became the highest-ranked Indian women player ever when she achieved the World Number 27 in 2007.</p>

<p>She represented India in three Olympics - 2008 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio. The government has conferred on her the Arjuna Award, Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Padma Bhushan.</p>

<p><strong>PV Sindhu</strong>: Another Hyderabad link to women sports, Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is the second badminton player after Saina to achieve success on the world stage. She won the silver medal at 2016 Rio Olympics, a first for an Indian woman. She and Saina are the only two Indian badminton players to ever win an Olympic medal. She has been consistently ranked among the top five women badminton players in the world and has defeated every top-ranked player.</p>

<p><strong>Deepa Malik</strong>: She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games when she bagged a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the shot put. She also has a gold medal in F-53/54 Javelin event at the para athletic Grand Prix held in Dubai in 2018. Coming from the defence background - her father is Colonel (retd) BK Nagpal and husband is Colonel Bikram Singh - she is currently the World Number one in F-53 category. She has been honoured with the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri.</p>

<p><strong>Dipa Karmakar</strong>: She is the first Indian women to represent the country at an Olympic Games in gymnastics when she took part in the 2016 Rio Games. The girl from Agartala is also the first Indian gymnast to do so after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. She finished a credible fourth in Women&#39;s Vault event at Rio. Dipa Karmakar is one of the only five women who has successfully landed the Produnova, the most difficult vault currently performed in women&#39;s gymnastics. She has been honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Padma Shri.</p>

<p><strong>MC Mary Kom</strong>: Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom has achieved what no other Indian sportsperson has. The boxer from Manipur is a five-time World Amateur Boxing champion. She is also the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the flyweight (51 kg) category. She was nominated by the President of India as a member of the Rajya Sabha on April 26, 2016. She has been honoured by the Padma Bhushan, Arjuna Award, Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Karnam Malleswari: The former Indian women weightlifter is the first in the history of Indian Olympics to win a medal. The woman from Andhra Pradesh received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1995 and Padma Shri in 1999.</p>

<p><strong>Krishna Poonia</strong>: Born in Haryana&#39;s Agroha village in 1982, Krishna Poonia is a discus thrower. She won the bronze in 2006 Doha Asian Games and gold in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. She has been honoured with Padma Shri in 2011. She has represented India at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Games.</p>

<p><strong>Sakshi Malik</strong>: The freestyle wrestler won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 58 kg category. She is the first female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics for India and only the fourth female Olympic medallist from the country. She has also won the silver medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2015 Doha Asian Wrestling Championships.</p>

<p><strong>Anju Bobby George</strong>: She was a heptathlon athlete, to begin with but soon moved to long jump. The 41-year-old made history when she won the long jump bronze medal at the 2003 Paris World Athletics Championships. It was the first time that an Indian athlete had won a medal in a World Athletics Championships. She also bagged the gold at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005. She took part in the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Games, She was awarded the Arjuna Award<br />
in 2002.</p>

<p><strong>Sunil Dabas</strong>: Not a very popular name, Sunil Dabas&#39;s contribution in no less. She has coached the Indian national female Kabbadi team. Her team has won gold medals in the 2010 Asian Games and the 2012 World Cup 2012.She was hounored with the Dronacharya Award in 2012 and Padma Shri in 2014.</p>

<p><strong>Indian Women Cricket Team</strong>: From the time India&#39;s women&#39;s cricket came under the wings of BCCI, the team has turned a new chapter of success. The Indian team ended up runners-up in the 2017&nbsp;World Cup in England, losing the final by a narrow margin. Recently, India won the T20 series 3-1 in South Africa and players such as Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana became role models for many a young player. Mithali has also been the highest runscorer in ODI cricket. Harmanpreet and Mandhana have showcased their talent in the Australian Big Bash League too. Harmanpreet has impressed the Aussies with his six-hitting ability.</p>

<p><strong>Indian Women Hockey Team</strong>: Led by Rani Rampal, the hockey team recently lifted the Asia Cup for the first time after 2004. While they might still struggle at the world stage, the Indian team has been unparalleled in the Asian circuit. In 2016, the team won their first Asian Champions Trophy and finished the season on a strong note. In the last Asiad, the team won the bronze medal. The team has won gold in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, ended runners-up in 2006 and finished in top five in 2010 and 2014. With the FIH World Cup going to be played later this year, the in-form team has qualified and are touted as a strong contender.</p>


Smriti Irani, Manoj Sinha and Prakash Javadekar lauded the winners and pointed out India has changed a lot in the last few years.

Indian women have been scaling new heights in the field of sports and brought laurels to the country in the last few years. The ZEE News FAIRPLAY - a special day for women achievers in the field of sports - has recognised and honoured the special achievement and extraordinary feats by Indian women in the field of sports. The ZEE News FAIRPLAY is about inspiration, which is the key to everything we do. Union minister for information and broadcasting Smriti Zubin Irani, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar, Minister of State Telecom and Railways Manoj Sinha and Minister of State Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel graced the occasion. The glittering function was well attended and took place at The Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi. Smriti Irani, Manoj Sinha and Prakash Javadekar lauded the winners and pointed out India has changed a lot in the last few years. "Women are coming forward in the sporting arena and it is a welcome development. It is a great sign for our country that our women athletes are winning on the world stage," said Irani. Javadekar thanked Zee Media for the event and said that all the awardees have struggled a lot to reach the pinnacle of their sport. He added that their stories are an inspiration for the entire country. Manoj Sinha and Anupriya Patel spoke about the hard work and tough training followed by the awardees. They expressed hope that all the athletes will continue to do well and bring more laurels for the country. "Women athletes have to face a lot of discrimination and they are generally treated as being inferior to the men. But this is not the case. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking a personal interest in ensuring we do well in sports. We have launched Khelo India too. We have made a good beginning. Women are more powerful and dedicated than men: Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Zee Group (Zee News Network) × It is time to say 'kheloge to khiloge'," said Anupriya Patel. Rajya Sabha MP Dr Subhash Chandra expressed his happiness at women sportsperson basking in the limelight. "It is great pleasure for me that Zee Media is felicitating sportswomen. Women are more powerful and dedicated than men. In our society, the men have always looked down upon women. But women are not weak. We will strive to bring more sportswomen forward," said Dr Chandra. List of Awardees: Anjali Bhagwat: The rifle shooter is the first Indian to win at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Champion of Champions combined-air-rifle event when she emerged victorious in the 2002 edition. Anjali was the World Number One in 10m Air Rifle in 2002 and won her first World Cup Final in Milan, in 2003. Anjali has represented India in three consecutive Olympics. She was a wildcard entry in the 2000 Sydney Olympics but reached the final, a first for an Indian women shooter. She dominated Commonwealth Games in the 10m Air Rifle and Sports Rifle 3P events and won 12 gold and four silver medals. She has won 31 gold, 23 silver and seven bronze medals in international competitions. Anjali Bhagwat is the first Indian to win at the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) Champion of Champions combined-air-rifle event (Zee News Network) × Saina Nehwal: The 28-year-old is a household name and synonymous with women badminton in the country. She is a former World Number 1 and has represented India in three Olympics - Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016. She won the bronze medal at the London Olympics. She has over 23 international titles in her kitty. The government has honoured her with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award and the Padma Bhushan. Sania Mirza: The girl from Hyderabad showed the world that Indian women tennis players can compete with the best. Sania Mirza played in singles, doubles and mixed doubles events, and became the World Number 1 women's doubles player. She retired from singles in 2013. She became the highest-ranked Indian women player ever when she achieved the World Number 27 in 2007. She represented India in three Olympics - 2008 Beijing, 2012 London and 2016 Rio. The government has conferred on her the Arjuna Award, Padma Shri, Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Padma Bhushan. PV Sindhu: Another Hyderabad link to women sports, Pusarla Venkata Sindhu is the second badminton player after Saina to achieve success on the world stage. She won the silver medal at 2016 Rio Olympics, a first for an Indian woman. She and Saina are the only two Indian badminton players to ever win an Olympic medal. She has been consistently ranked among the top five women badminton players in the world and has defeated every top-ranked player. Deepa Malik: She is the first Indian woman to win a medal in Paralympic Games when she bagged a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Paralympics in the shot put. She also has a gold medal in F-53/54 Javelin event at the para athletic Grand Prix held in Dubai in 2018. Coming from the defence background - her father is Colonel (retd) BK Nagpal and husband is Colonel Bikram Singh - she is currently the World Number one in F-53 category. She has been honoured with the Arjuna Award and Padma Shri. Dipa Karmakar: She is the first Indian women to represent the country at an Olympic Games in gymnastics when she took part in the 2016 Rio Games. The girl from Agartala is also the first Indian gymnast to do so after the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. She finished a credible fourth in Women's Vault event at Rio. Dipa Karmakar is one of the only five women who has successfully landed the Produnova, the most difficult vault currently performed in women's gymnastics. She has been honoured with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award and Padma Shri. MC Mary Kom: Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom has achieved what no other Indian sportsperson has. The boxer from Manipur is a five-time World Amateur Boxing champion. She is also the only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the six world championships. She won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics in the flyweight (51 kg) category. She was nominated by the President of India as a member of the Rajya Sabha on April 26, 2016. She has been honoured by the Padma Bhushan, Arjuna Award, Padma Shri and Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. Karnam Malleswari: The former Indian women weightlifter is the first in the history of Indian Olympics to win a medal. The woman from Andhra Pradesh received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award in 1995 and Padma Shri in 1999. Krishna Poonia: Born in Haryana's Agroha village in 1982, Krishna Poonia is a discus thrower. She won the bronze in 2006 Doha Asian Games and gold in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. She has been honoured with Padma Shri in 2011. She has represented India at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Games. Sakshi Malik: The freestyle wrestler won bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 58 kg category. She is the first female wrestler to win a medal at the Olympics for India and only the fourth female Olympic medallist from the country. She has also won the silver medal at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and bronze at the 2015 Doha Asian Wrestling Championships. Anju Bobby George: She was a heptathlon athlete, to begin with but soon moved to long jump. The 41-year-old made history when she won the long jump bronze medal at the 2003 Paris World Athletics Championships. It was the first time that an Indian athlete had won a medal in a World Athletics Championships. She also bagged the gold at the IAAF World Athletics Final in 2005. She took part in the 2004 Athens Olympics and 2008 Beijing Games, She was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2002. Sunil Dabas: Not a very popular name, Sunil Dabas's contribution in no less. She has coached the Indian national female Kabbadi team. Her team has won gold medals in the 2010 Asian Games and the 2012 World Cup 2012.She was hounored with the Dronacharya Award in 2012 and Padma Shri in 2014. Indian Women Cricket Team: From the time India's women's cricket came under the wings of BCCI, the team has turned a new chapter of success. The Indian team ended up runners-up in the 2017 World Cup in England, losing the final by a narrow margin. Recently, India won the T20 series 3-1 in South Africa and players such as Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Harmanpreet Kaur and Smriti Mandhana became role models for many a young player. Mithali has also been the highest runscorer in ODI cricket. Harmanpreet and Mandhana have showcased their talent in the Australian Big Bash League too. Harmanpreet has impressed the Aussies with his six-hitting ability. Indian Women Hockey Team: Led by Rani Rampal, the hockey team recently lifted the Asia Cup for the first time after 2004. While they might still struggle at the world stage, the Indian team has been unparalleled in the Asian circuit. In 2016, the team won their first Asian Champions Trophy and finished the season on a strong note. In the last Asiad, the team won the bronze medal. The team has won gold in the 2002 Commonwealth Games, ended runners-up in 2006 and finished in top five in 2010 and 2014. With the FIH World Cup going to be played later this year, the in-form team has qualified and are touted as a strong contender.

ZEE News honours Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal among other sportswomen

<p>Injured tennis star Sania Mirza says it will take her at least two more months to get battle ready and what frustrates her most during the rehab period is not the physical pain but the compulsory rest.</p>

<p>Sania, the winner of six Grand Slam titles, is out of action since October 2017 due to an injury in her right knee, forcing her to miss first Grand Slam of the season.</p>

<p>&quot;(It will take) a couple of more months. I don&#39;t want to get into technicalities of it but even if there was a surgery there is no guarantee that it is going to get better. It&#39;s basically pain that I need to manage,&quot; Sania said before kicking off tennis activities at Supertech Sports Village.</p>

<p>&quot;It got out of hand so I had to take time off. I could not take painkillers anymore. It is getting better. It&#39;s frustrating because you have to rest and do rehab.&quot;</p>

<p>The 31-year-old Hyderabadi was asked what was the most challenging part of the rehabilitation period.</p>

<p>&quot;Toughest thing is the mental part. Like it was difficult to watch Australian Open and not play. As an athlete when you are forced to do something, it&#39;s difficult to accept. When you retire by choice, it&#39;s different.</p>

<p>&quot;But it&#39;s not the first time that I am injured. I have had three surgeries before. As an athlete, I am used to that. It&#39;s mental more than the physical pain,&quot; she shared her frustration.</p>

<p>Sania, whose ranking has dipped to 14, is confident that missing out on tennis for about four months won&#39;t impact her adversely.</p>

<p>&quot;I turned Pro in 2003. It&#39;s a very demanding life away from family and loved ones in a hotel room. I had a pretty long career. Do I think that these four months are going to make a difference in my career? No, in a larger perspective. I have to take positives out of it,&quot; she said.</p>

<p>Reflecting on her 2017 season, during which she managed to win just one WTA title, compared to eight in 2016 and 10 in 2015, Sania rated it as a decent one.</p>

<p>&quot;As an athlete, we are always greedy. When we win 10, we want to win the 11th (title)and when we win one, we want to win three. When hunger is not there, you know it&#39;s time to retire. I still finished in top-10, it was a decent year. 2017 was a solid year but it can get better,&quot; Sania said.</p>

<p>Talking about the upcoming Fed Cup, beginning Wednesday at DLTA, Sania said Indian team has a tough task ahead.<br />
&quot;I will retire one day, they should get used to it a little bit (laughs). It&#39;s going to be tough matches as always. It will be a great experience for them, they are all young.&quot;</p>

<p>Asked if she sees herself playing the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, she was non-committal.</p>

<p>&quot;The first Asian Games I played was in 2002 when I was 15. It&#39;s been really long, I would like to play another one if I can and win more medals. I have come back with medals every time I played. So it would be pretty amazing, but I can&#39;t look that far ahead, want to focus on my recovery.&quot;</p>

<p>On a philosophical note, Sania said playing a sport helps in becoming a better human being.</p>

<p>&quot;Sports is not just about becoming a champion. It&#39;s about learning way of life. Sport is about accepting defeat and handling victories. Just because I have a tennis academy back home and there is an academy here, that does not guarantee we are going to have world champions. But what you can guarantee is to be a better human being, sport teaches you that.&quot;</p>

<p>Sania also emphasised that for India to become a sporting a sports culture is required, where more and more people are playing.</p>

<p>&quot;Become a sporting nation, does not mean how many champions you have, it means how many people are playing a sport. When you go to Australia or America, every kid there plays whatever it is, baseball or football. Because they have so many in numbers playing, they have so many champions. It has got a lot better (in India) in the last few years.&quot;</p>

<p>Sania hit a few balls with kids at the tennis academy at Supertech Sports Village, which will take another five years to develop fully.</p>

<p>Spread in 175 acres, the village will have tennis, cricket, shooting and badminton academies in 70 percent area while residential properties will be developed in remaining 30 percent.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


Sania, the winner of six Grand Slam titles, is out of action since October 2017 due to an injury in her right knee, forcing her to miss first Grand Slam of the season

Injured tennis star Sania Mirza says it will take her at least two more months to get battle ready and what frustrates her most during the rehab period is not the physical pain but the compulsory rest. Sania, the winner of six Grand Slam titles, is out of action since October 2017 due to an injury in her right knee, forcing her to miss first Grand Slam of the season. "(It will take) a couple of more months. I don't want to get into technicalities of it but even if there was a surgery there is no guarantee that it is going to get better. It's basically pain that I need to manage," Sania said before kicking off tennis activities at Supertech Sports Village. "It got out of hand so I had to take time off. I could not take painkillers anymore. It is getting better. It's frustrating because you have to rest and do rehab." The 31-year-old Hyderabadi was asked what was the most challenging part of the rehabilitation period. "Toughest thing is the mental part. Like it was difficult to watch Australian Open and not play. As an athlete when you are forced to do something, it's difficult to accept. When you retire by choice, it's different. "But it's not the first time that I am injured. I have had three surgeries before. As an athlete, I am used to that. It's mental more than the physical pain," she shared her frustration. Sania, whose ranking has dipped to 14, is confident that missing out on tennis for about four months won't impact her adversely. "I turned Pro in 2003. It's a very demanding life away from family and loved ones in a hotel room. I had a pretty long career. Do I think that these four months are going to make a difference in my career? No, in a larger perspective. I have to take positives out of it," she said. Reflecting on her 2017 season, during which she managed to win just one WTA title, compared to eight in 2016 and 10 in 2015, Sania rated it as a decent one. "As an athlete, we are always greedy. When we win 10, we want to win the 11th (title)and when we win one, we want to win three. When hunger is not there, you know it's time to retire. I still finished in top-10, it was a decent year. 2017 was a solid year but it can get better," Sania said. Talking about the upcoming Fed Cup, beginning Wednesday at DLTA, Sania said Indian team has a tough task ahead. "I will retire one day, they should get used to it a little bit (laughs). It's going to be tough matches as always. It will be a great experience for them, they are all young." Asked if she sees herself playing the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia, she was non-committal. "The first Asian Games I played was in 2002 when I was 15. It's been really long, I would like to play another one if I can and win more medals. I have come back with medals every time I played. So it would be pretty amazing, but I can't look that far ahead, want to focus on my recovery." On a philosophical note, Sania said playing a sport helps in becoming a better human being. "Sports is not just about becoming a champion. It's about learning way of life. Sport is about accepting defeat and handling victories. Just because I have a tennis academy back home and there is an academy here, that does not guarantee we are going to have world champions. But what you can guarantee is to be a better human being, sport teaches you that." Sania also emphasised that for India to become a sporting a sports culture is required, where more and more people are playing. "Become a sporting nation, does not mean how many champions you have, it means how many people are playing a sport. When you go to Australia or America, every kid there plays whatever it is, baseball or football. Because they have so many in numbers playing, they have so many champions. It has got a lot better (in India) in the last few years." Sania hit a few balls with kids at the tennis academy at Supertech Sports Village, which will take another five years to develop fully. Spread in 175 acres, the village will have tennis, cricket, shooting and badminton academies in 70 percent area while residential properties will be developed in remaining 30 percent.

Injured Sania to be off court for at least two more months

<p>Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza is set to miss next month&#39;s Australian Open owing to a knee injury and could go for a surgery to treat the condition.</p>

<p>Sania is suffering from a condition called jumper&#39;s knee in her right leg. It is defined as a painful condition of the knee caused by inflammation or small tears in the tendon of the patella.</p>

<p>Sania won the 2016 Australian Open women&#39;s doubles title with Martina Hingis before announcing their split in August.</p>

<p>The 31-year-old, who was here for the final of the Premjit Lall Invitational tournament, said she might have to go for a surgery and is looking for a Roger Federer-like comeback.</p>

<p>&quot;It&#39;s kind of serious. Surgery is probably on the cards. I will be out for a few months for sure,&quot; Sania said at the Jaidip Mukerjea Tennis Academy.<br />
Sania said she is okay while walking with the injured knee but playing is painful.</p>

<p>&quot;I&#39;m okay to walk but it&#39;s painful when I&#39;ve to change directions when you actually go on to play, that&#39;s the biggest problem. I can run straight but not able to do plyometrics stuff.</p>

<p>&quot;My doctors told me to take a couple of months off and then see how it feels before it gets into a process of either surgery or injections. When I saw them, the pain was not less after two months.</p>

<p>&quot;Now we have to take a call. It&#39;s a little bit up in the air, I can&#39;t tell you a definitive next. So I will be missing the Australian Open for sure. It won&#39;t be before a couple of months at least.&quot;</p>

<p>Asked about Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games next year, she said, &quot;Hopefully I will be okay for that. Every time people ask me about plans and I always say as tennis players we don&#39;t know about our health, we don&#39;t know where we will be at that point. It&#39;s one year, it&#39;s a long time. Anything can happen. Hopefully ill be healthy again and I&#39;ll be able to play.&quot;</p>

<p>Sania looked forward to a Federer-like return to the court.</p>

<p>&quot;After 15 years, it&#39;s not such a big thing to be out for a few months. It did wonders for Roger -- he went out for six months and he has not lost a match since... Hopefully, that can happen to me as well.&quot;</p>

<p>Sania further lamented the lack of a proper system in India, which was hampering the progress of tennis.</p>

<p>&quot;There is no system. I&#39;ve been saying that for last 15 years. I wish them if there was only one problem... But the first step is &#39;how do I go about it if I want my child to start playing tennis?&#39;</p>

<p>&quot;We can do our part but that&#39;s not the way to produce champions year after year. That&#39;s why we have one champion in 30 years. There are many issues. We still have to make our own mistakes, learn from it, and in the meantime, most of us fizzle out and there are some of us who are fortunate enough to come through despite the system.</p>

<p>&quot;It&#39;s the sad part which is why events like this are so important which is why we are here. Even if one child picks up a tennis racket, I would feel we have done justice by coming here.</p>

<p>&quot;We are here to support tennis. It&#39;s a sport that is growing over the years in India. We are hoping that more and more kids are inspired by us. It&#39;s great to be back in Kolkata, and greater to be for an event that promotes tennis.&quot;</p>

<p>Recalling her first memory of picking a racket at the age of six, she said: &quot;The coach actually did not want to take me and told me I was too &#39;small&#39; to play tennis. My mom had to force him saying take her, I want my child to play.</p>

<p>&quot;It was a big argument and finally he took me. After a month he called my parents and said you have to watch her play as I&#39;ve never seen a six-year-old play like this,&quot; he concluded.</p>


The 31-year-old, who was here for the final of the Premjit Lall Invitational tournament, said she might have to go for a surgery and is looking for a Roger Federer-like comeback

Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza is set to miss next month's Australian Open owing to a knee injury and could go for a surgery to treat the condition. Sania is suffering from a condition called jumper's knee in her right leg. It is defined as a painful condition of the knee caused by inflammation or small tears in the tendon of the patella. Sania won the 2016 Australian Open women's doubles title with Martina Hingis before announcing their split in August. The 31-year-old, who was here for the final of the Premjit Lall Invitational tournament, said she might have to go for a surgery and is looking for a Roger Federer-like comeback. "It's kind of serious. Surgery is probably on the cards. I will be out for a few months for sure," Sania said at the Jaidip Mukerjea Tennis Academy. Sania said she is okay while walking with the injured knee but playing is painful. "I'm okay to walk but it's painful when I've to change directions when you actually go on to play, that's the biggest problem. I can run straight but not able to do plyometrics stuff. "My doctors told me to take a couple of months off and then see how it feels before it gets into a process of either surgery or injections. When I saw them, the pain was not less after two months. "Now we have to take a call. It's a little bit up in the air, I can't tell you a definitive next. So I will be missing the Australian Open for sure. It won't be before a couple of months at least." Asked about Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games next year, she said, "Hopefully I will be okay for that. Every time people ask me about plans and I always say as tennis players we don't know about our health, we don't know where we will be at that point. It's one year, it's a long time. Anything can happen. Hopefully ill be healthy again and I'll be able to play." Sania looked forward to a Federer-like return to the court. "After 15 years, it's not such a big thing to be out for a few months. It did wonders for Roger -- he went out for six months and he has not lost a match since... Hopefully, that can happen to me as well." Sania further lamented the lack of a proper system in India, which was hampering the progress of tennis. "There is no system. I've been saying that for last 15 years. I wish them if there was only one problem... But the first step is 'how do I go about it if I want my child to start playing tennis?' "We can do our part but that's not the way to produce champions year after year. That's why we have one champion in 30 years. There are many issues. We still have to make our own mistakes, learn from it, and in the meantime, most of us fizzle out and there are some of us who are fortunate enough to come through despite the system. "It's the sad part which is why events like this are so important which is why we are here. Even if one child picks up a tennis racket, I would feel we have done justice by coming here. "We are here to support tennis. It's a sport that is growing over the years in India. We are hoping that more and more kids are inspired by us. It's great to be back in Kolkata, and greater to be for an event that promotes tennis." Recalling her first memory of picking a racket at the age of six, she said: "The coach actually did not want to take me and told me I was too 'small' to play tennis. My mom had to force him saying take her, I want my child to play. "It was a big argument and finally he took me. After a month he called my parents and said you have to watch her play as I've never seen a six-year-old play like this," he concluded.

Surgery on cards, Sania to miss Australian Open

<p>Sania Mirza with Shoaib Malik was in Lahore to host Sri Lanka for T20I&nbsp;after the world XI series and Pakistan did not disappoint their fans. Claiming the final T20I against Sri Lanka, Pakistan won the series 3-0 and that too in front of their home crowd.</p>

<p>The match turned into a delight for both of them as Shoaib scored an unbeaten half-century for Pakistan and named &#39;man of the series&#39; title and in reward he received a motorbike.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Indian tennis star Sania Mirza tweeted a cute message and picture of Shoaib on the bike with the captain asking &nbsp;&ldquo;Chalen phir is pe?&rdquo;(Let&rsquo;s go on this?).</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chalen phir is pe?? ??????<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MOM?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MOM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Manoftheseries?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Manoftheseries</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/realshoaibmalik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realshoaibmalik</a> <a href="https://t.co/iEnkxuKJ7O">pic.twitter.com/iEnkxuKJ7O</a></p>
&mdash; Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/924683440221573120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>But moments later, she tweeted again but this time she did not look much happy. She attached a photo of her husband with Shadab Khan as the pillion as she was not amused saying that &ldquo;ok never mind&hellip; guess the seat is taken already.&rdquo;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Ok never mind.. I guess the seat is taken already ????&zwj;???? <a href="https://twitter.com/realshoaibmalik?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realshoaibmalik</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/76Shadabkhan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@76Shadabkhan</a> ?? <a href="https://t.co/TuAquumw5j">pic.twitter.com/TuAquumw5j</a></p>
&mdash; Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirzaSania/status/924686837314187264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Shoaib was also quick to reply saying &quot;No no left him at the ground far away koi chakkar hi nai hey aiesa (there is no such problem),&quot; he wrote.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">No no left him at the ground far away koi chakkar hi nai hey aiesa</p>
&mdash; Shoaib Malik (@realshoaibmalik) <a href="https://twitter.com/realshoaibmalik/status/924706696328556545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Khan also had his fun and maybe he felt like spoiling family fun so he quickly got out of the way by tweeting &nbsp;&quot;Ooops. Sorry bhabi,&quot;.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="tl">Ooops. Sorry bhabi ?? <a href="https://t.co/6Oy7UAIbTm">https://t.co/6Oy7UAIbTm</a></p>
&mdash; Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) <a href="https://twitter.com/76Shadabkhan/status/924703884597219328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Friends and family may be miles away but social media always ensures they stay in touch but also engage in healthy banter, something Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik has definitely enojyed their own little rom com moment.<br />
&nbsp;</p>


Sania Mirza with Shoaib Malik was in Lahore to host Shri Lanka for T20I?after the world XI series and Pakistan did not disappoint their fans.

Sania Mirza with Shoaib Malik was in Lahore to host Sri Lanka for T20I after the world XI series and Pakistan did not disappoint their fans. Claiming the final T20I against Sri Lanka, Pakistan won the series 3-0 and that too in front of their home crowd. The match turned into a delight for both of them as Shoaib scored an unbeaten half-century for Pakistan and named 'man of the series' title and in reward he received a motorbike. The Indian tennis star Sania Mirza tweeted a cute message and picture of Shoaib on the bike with the captain asking “Chalen phir is pe?”(Let’s go on this?). Chalen phir is pe?? ??????#MOM #Manoftheseries @realshoaibmalik pic.twitter.com/iEnkxuKJ7O — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) October 29, 2017 × But moments later, she tweeted again but this time she did not look much happy. She attached a photo of her husband with Shadab Khan as the pillion as she was not amused saying that “ok never mind… guess the seat is taken already.” Ok never mind.. I guess the seat is taken already ????‍???? @realshoaibmalik @76Shadabkhan ?? pic.twitter.com/TuAquumw5j — Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) October 29, 2017 × Shoaib was also quick to reply saying "No no left him at the ground far away koi chakkar hi nai hey aiesa (there is no such problem)," he wrote. No no left him at the ground far away koi chakkar hi nai hey aiesa — Shoaib Malik (@realshoaibmalik) October 29, 2017 × Khan also had his fun and maybe he felt like spoiling family fun so he quickly got out of the way by tweeting "Ooops. Sorry bhabi,". Ooops. Sorry bhabi ?? https://t.co/6Oy7UAIbTm — Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) October 29, 2017 × Friends and family may be miles away but social media always ensures they stay in touch but also engage in healthy banter, something Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik has definitely enojyed their own little rom com moment.

Sania Mirza not so amused with Shoaib Malik's new bike!

<p>Sania Mirza will have to wait for her seventh Grand Slam trophy as the Indian and her Croatian partner Ivan Dodig lost the Australian Open mixed doubles final 2-6 4-6 to underdogs Abigail Spears and Juan Sebastian Cabal on Sunday.</p>

<p>The second-seeded Indo-Croatian pair paid the price for the free-flowing unforced errors from the racquet of Dodig, who struggled with his serve and groundstrokes today.</p>

<p>It is second runners-up finish for Sania and Dodig together after losing the final of the 2016 French Open to Leander Paes and Martina Hingis.</p>

<p>Sania had won her first ever Grand Slam at the Australian Open only when she won the mixed doubles with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi in 2009 and the last of her three women&#39;s doubles Major trophies also came here last year with Martina Hingis.</p>

<p>After losing the first two points, Dodig served a double fault at 30-30 and then sent a forehand long to concede a break in the very first game of the match.</p>

<p>Cabal and Spears though were in tremendous touch from the word go. Both were terrific from the back and at the net too.</p>

<p>Sania was also broken in the third game. It was Cabal&#39;s brilliant volley pick up which he placed well beyond the two players to earn a break point.</p>

<p>Spears smashed a backhand service return winner to take the break as the second seeds trailed 0-3.</p>

<p>The American had an easy hold in the next to make it 4-0. The second seeds finally got on board when Dodig held the fifth game but they had already suffered the damage.</p>

<p>Serving to stay in the opening set at 1-5, Sania saved a deciding a point to hold.</p>

<p>Spears was now serving for the set and lost the first two points to be 0-30 and soon Dodig found a forehand winner to earn a breakpoint but could not convert. Sania hit a backhand wide on the deciding point to concede the first set.</p>

<p>Dodig&#39;s serve was again under pressure as he faced a breakpoint and a deciding point in the first game of the second set but managed to save both.</p>

<p>Cabal served a double fault at 40-30 to face a deciding point and the second seeds latched on to that to take a 2-0 lead as Spears hit a backhand long.</p>

<p>Sania had an easy hold to make it 3-0 as the Indo-Croatian pair was back in the match. However, Sania was broken in the seventh game which allowed the rivals to neutralise the advantage.</p>

<p>The Indian committed a double fault to be down by two breakpoints and Spears smashed one overhead volley to convert the first. Spears held without fuss and the two pairs were now locked 4-4.</p>

<p>Dodig was never in his elements in today&#39;s match and he served two double faults, the second one coming on a breakpoint, to allow Cabal to serve out the championship.&nbsp;</p>

<p>(PTI)</p>


It is second runners-up finish for Sania and Dodig together after losing the 2016 French Open final to Leander Paes and Martina Hingis

Sania Mirza will have to wait for her seventh Grand Slam trophy as the Indian and her Croatian partner Ivan Dodig lost the Australian Open mixed doubles final 2-6 4-6 to underdogs Abigail Spears and Juan Sebastian Cabal on Sunday. The second-seeded Indo-Croatian pair paid the price for the free-flowing unforced errors from the racquet of Dodig, who struggled with his serve and groundstrokes today. It is second runners-up finish for Sania and Dodig together after losing the final of the 2016 French Open to Leander Paes and Martina Hingis. Sania had won her first ever Grand Slam at the Australian Open only when she won the mixed doubles with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi in 2009 and the last of her three women's doubles Major trophies also came here last year with Martina Hingis. After losing the first two points, Dodig served a double fault at 30-30 and then sent a forehand long to concede a break in the very first game of the match. Cabal and Spears though were in tremendous touch from the word go. Both were terrific from the back and at the net too. Sania was also broken in the third game. It was Cabal's brilliant volley pick up which he placed well beyond the two players to earn a break point. Spears smashed a backhand service return winner to take the break as the second seeds trailed 0-3. The American had an easy hold in the next to make it 4-0. The second seeds finally got on board when Dodig held the fifth game but they had already suffered the damage. Serving to stay in the opening set at 1-5, Sania saved a deciding a point to hold. Spears was now serving for the set and lost the first two points to be 0-30 and soon Dodig found a forehand winner to earn a breakpoint but could not convert. Sania hit a backhand wide on the deciding point to concede the first set. Dodig's serve was again under pressure as he faced a breakpoint and a deciding point in the first game of the second set but managed to save both. Cabal served a double fault at 40-30 to face a deciding point and the second seeds latched on to that to take a 2-0 lead as Spears hit a backhand long. Sania had an easy hold to make it 3-0 as the Indo-Croatian pair was back in the match. However, Sania was broken in the seventh game which allowed the rivals to neutralise the advantage. The Indian committed a double fault to be down by two breakpoints and Spears smashed one overhead volley to convert the first. Spears held without fuss and the two pairs were now locked 4-4. Dodig was never in his elements in today's match and he served two double faults, the second one coming on a breakpoint, to allow Cabal to serve out the championship. (PTI)

Australian Open: Sania-Dodig lose mixed doubles final

India&rsquo;s Leander Paes, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna won their respective opening round matches kickstarting their US Open campaign at Flushing Meadows in New York on Wednesday.<br />
<br />
Bopanna and Frederik Nielsen took on 16th seeds Radek Stepanek and Nenad Zimonjic, winning the first round of men&rsquo;s doubles with 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
Leander Paes and his Swiss mixed doubles partner Martina Hingis secured a 6-3, 6-2 win against Americans Sachia Vickery and Frances Tiafoe.<br />
<br />
World No 1 women&#39;s doubles player &nbsp;Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbora Strycova defeated unseeded American duo Jada Myii Hart and Ena Shibahara 6-2, 6-3 in women&rsquo;s doubles.<br />
<br />
The unseeded pair of Bopanna and Nielsen fought an hour and 53 minutes to seal the win at Court 6.<br />
<br />
Bopanna-Nielsen who were playing a more experienced Czech-Serbian combination won the &nbsp;first set 6-3. &nbsp;They are now pitted against the US-New Zealand combination of Brian Baker and Marcus Daniell for a place in the pre-quarterfinals.<br />
<br />
Sania and Barbora had five break points throughout the match,&nbsp;three of them securing their win. They won 65 out of the total 116 points played.<br />
<br />
Paes-Hingis weren&#39;t even stretched that far, wrapping &nbsp;up the match in 51 minutes.<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from agencies)

Unseeded Bopanna-Nielsen were pitted against a more experienced Czech-Serbian combination but won 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3 in men's doubles

India’s Leander Paes, Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna won their respective opening round matches kickstarting their US Open campaign at Flushing Meadows in New York on Wednesday. Bopanna and Frederik Nielsen took on 16th seeds Radek Stepanek and Nenad Zimonjic, winning the first round of men’s doubles with 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-3. Leander Paes and his Swiss mixed doubles partner Martina Hingis secured a 6-3, 6-2 win against Americans Sachia Vickery and Frances Tiafoe. World No 1 women's doubles player Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Barbora Strycova defeated unseeded American duo Jada Myii Hart and Ena Shibahara 6-2, 6-3 in women’s doubles. The unseeded pair of Bopanna and Nielsen fought an hour and 53 minutes to seal the win at Court 6. Bopanna-Nielsen who were playing a more experienced Czech-Serbian combination won the first set 6-3. They are now pitted against the US-New Zealand combination of Brian Baker and Marcus Daniell for a place in the pre-quarterfinals. Sania and Barbora had five break points throughout the match, three of them securing their win. They won 65 out of the total 116 points played. Paes-Hingis weren't even stretched that far, wrapping up the match in 51 minutes. (WION with inputs from agencies)

US Open 2016: Leander Paes, Sania Mirza, Rohan Bopanna ace opening rounds

Romania&#39;s Monica Niculescu dumped Czech 18th seed Barbora Strycova out of the US Open on Monday and credited Indian doubles star Sania Mirza with the victory.<br />
<br />
Niculescu won 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1 in her opener and paid tribute to Mirza with whom she teamed last weekend to win the doubles title at New Haven.<br />
<br />
&quot;I learned so much from that week, and she gave me so many tips on how to play certain girls and how to see the game,&quot; the 28-year-old world number 35 told @wta_insider.<br />
<br />
&quot;She has so much power and it was so nice to play with her; she was hitting so big and I just had to go to the net and do my stuff.<br />
<br />
&quot;I learned so many things. I want to thank her for playing with me, and I felt fantastic. I&rsquo;m hoping to play again, when I can with her, because it was great.&quot;<br />
<br />
(AFP)

Niculescu had teamed with Mirza last weekend to win the doubles title at New Haven

Romania's Monica Niculescu dumped Czech 18th seed Barbora Strycova out of the US Open on Monday and credited Indian doubles star Sania Mirza with the victory. Niculescu won 6-3, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1 in her opener and paid tribute to Mirza with whom she teamed last weekend to win the doubles title at New Haven. "I learned so much from that week, and she gave me so many tips on how to play certain girls and how to see the game," the 28-year-old world number 35 told @wta_insider. "She has so much power and it was so nice to play with her; she was hitting so big and I just had to go to the net and do my stuff. "I learned so many things. I want to thank her for playing with me, and I felt fantastic. I’m hoping to play again, when I can with her, because it was great." (AFP)

US Open Tennis: Romanian Niculescu credits Mirza with win

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