Long-time Dubai resident and India’s most successful female tennis star Sania Mirza has announced that she will retire after her final season of the WTA tour.

'I've decided this will be my last season. I'm taking it weeky by week, not sure if I can last the season, but I want too." @MirzaSania #AusOpen

— Prajwal Hegde (@prajhegde) January 19, 2022

“I’ve decided this will be my last season. I’m taking it week by week, not sure if I can last the season, but I want to.” said Sania in a press conference.

Sania’s announcement came after her first-round loss in the women’s doubles, alongside Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok.

Now 35, Sania is a former world #1 in doubles and had a career-best ranking of 27 in singles. Her last title came in September 2021, when she won her 43rd doubles trophy at the Ostrava Open with Shuai Zhang as her partner.

Sania now joins her husband Shoaib Malik, who last played a Test match in 2015 and retired from One Day International cricket in 2019. The former Pakistani captain however continues to play T20 cricket for Pakistan having belted 100 runs in 8 matches at a strike rate of 172.41.

Team BuzZzing wishes Sania and Shoaib the best of luck for her future endeavours.