Australian Open 2023: Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna reach quarter-final
Indian mixed doubles duo Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna reached the quarter-final of the Australian Open 2023 on Saturday. Sania and Bopanna ousted Ariel Behar and Makoto Ninomiya to advance. The Indian pair won the contest 6-4, 7-6(9). On Sunday, Sania crashed out of the women's doubles segment after she and her partner Anna Danilina lost to Alison Van Uytvanck and Anhelina Kalinina.
Another quarter-final appearance for Sania
With another mixed doubles win, Sania has reached her third major quarter-final since the start of 2022. Sania and Bopanna ousted Jaimee Fourlis and Luke Saville in the first round. Notably, Sania's last mixed doubles appearance at Grand Slams came at 2022 Wimbledon alongside Mate Pavic as the pair reached the semis. Sania is now 90-44 in mixed doubles (Grand Slams).
Sania crashes out of doubles
Sania's loss in women's doubles means she now has a 23-14 win-loss record in this category at the Australian Open. She last clinched a Grand Slam in 2016, winning Wimbledon along with the legendary Martina Hingis. Since winning the AO 2016, Sania's best result came in 2017 (3rd round). Overall at Grand Slams, Sania enjoys a 104-52 win-less record in women's doubles.
The quest of reaching semis
Sania and Bopanna will next face Jelena Ostapenko and David Vega Hernandez in the quarter-finals. Interestingly, Sania has reached at least the quarter-finals in each of her last six Australian Open appearances (2012-17 and 2022-23). She is 31-10 at the Australian Open (mixed doubles).
Sania to retire post AO 2023
36-year-old Sania will retire from professional tennis post the 2023 Australian Open. Sania, a former world number one in women's doubles, took to social media to pen down a heartfelt message confirming the same. Before that, Sania had stated that she plans to retire at the upcoming WTA 1000 event in Dubai in February.
