Injured Sania Mirza pulls out of US Open, puts retirement plans on hold

Sania Mirza has pulled out of the US Open 2022, starting August 29, due to a tendon injury in her forearm. The Indian tennis star picked up the injury while competing at the Canadian Open earlier this month.

Sania played at last week's Cincinnati Open before reaching the semi-finals of the women's doubles in Toronto with partner Madison Keys.

ओलम्पिक और खेल खबरे हिन्दी में: यहां क्लिक करें

Earlier this year, the 35-year-old Sania Mirza had declared that 2022 would be her last season in professional tennis but the six-time Grand Slam champion hinted that the fresh developments may change her plans to retire.

"I have some not-so-great news. I hurt my forearm/elbow while playing in Canada two weeks ago and obviously didn't realise how bad it was until I got my scans yesterday. I have torn a little bit of my tendon," Sania Mirza said in a statement.

"I will be out for a (few) weeks, and have pulled out of the US Open. This isn't ideal, and it's terrible timing. It will change some of my retirement plans, but I will keep you all posted," she added.

The former doubles World No. 1 was on a maternity break from 2018 till her return to the court in January 2020 in Hobart. Sania partnered Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine to clinch the title.

At the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the newly-formed pair of Sania Mirza and Ankita Raina could not shine and suffered a first-round exit. The Ukrainian pair of Nadiia and Lyudmyla beat them convincingly.

Earlier this year, Sania Mirza and her Czech partner Lucie Hradecka were knocked out in the third round of the women’s doubles at the French Open. The Indian star also bid adieu to Wimbledon after she and her partner Mate Pavic from Croatia lost the mixed doubles semi-final against Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk.

Among the Indians, Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri and Ramkumar Ramanathan will play in the US Open qualifiers.