Former Wimbledon champion reveals a part of her ‘died’ after she retired from tennis in 2023

The transition from playing days to the next step in their careers can be smooth for many, but for others, the process is incredibly tough.

One former Wimbledon doubles champion recently discussed the difficulties she faced when making the decision to retire.

Sania Mirza talks about the day after she played her last tennis match

In an interview with ‘Zoom’, three-time doubles Grand Slam winner Sania Mirza spoke candidly about how she felt after playing her final match at the 2023 Dubai Tennis Championships.

Mirza said: “The morning after my last match, I woke up and I felt so empty. My parents said: ‘But you wanted to retire’.

“I did, but it felt like a part of me had died. I do not know how to put it any other way. It felt like I had to bury the life I had lived for over 30 years.

“I had to restart. I had to find a new schedule, a new routine. I woke up and realised I don’t have to go to the gym.

“All of a sudden, I did not have to do any of that. I just started crying. I cried for maybe two hours in my room.

“I was howling, which is not my personality. People who know me know that I do not really show emotion.

“After that, I did not cry. It sank in, and I knew that it was the right thing to do at the time.”

Sania Mirza’s career accolades on the WTA Tour

Mirza enjoyed an incredible career in doubles, reaching a career high of world number one, and was also the Indian number one in singles from 2003 until 2013.

She reached her first major final at Roland Garros alongside her partner, Elena Vesnina, but the two lost to the duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka.

Four years later, Mirza finally went all the way on the biggest stage in tennis by winning the 2015 Wimbledon doubles title with Martina Hingis.

Hingis and Mirza then triumphed again that year at the US Open, winning their second major title together after beating Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova in the championship match.

Then, at the 2016 Australian Open, the two made it three in a row by winning the tournament while dropping just one set.

Mirza’s best Grand Slam result in singles was a fourth-round finish, which she achieved at the 2005 US Open.