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Published 19 Jan, 2010 12:00am

Mirza to quit tennis after marriage

MELBOURNE Indian starlet Sania Mirza said Tuesday she will quit tennis when she marries but this years Commonwealth Games and Asian Games are still on her radar, AFP reported.

 

Mirza crashed out of the Australian Open at the first hurdle to in-form French 26th seed Aravane Rezai, 6-4, 6-2 but she will remain in Melbourne to defend her mixed doubles title.

 

She got engaged to childhood friend, Sohrab Mirza, in July last year and said once they marry she will no longer play on the WTA Tour.

 

But she refused to say when they will tie the knot.

 

“Marriage is a big step, there are still a lot of things to work out,” she said.

 

“Its a long way off, but after you marry your priorities change and I would like to live with my husband, not be on the road for 35 weeks a year.”

 

Before that happens, Mirzas key focus is the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi in October and the Asian Games in Guangzhou just weeks later. She said she was hoping to stay fit and healthy with a long season ahead.

 

“Of course, every week is important to a tennis player and the four majors are very important,” she said.

 

“But I also have the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games this year. It will be a very tough year because it will be a very short off-season. But you have got to deal with it.” She said she was looking forward to competing in the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.

 

“The Commonwealth Games is one of the biggest events that India has held and it will be an honour to be there,” she said, dismissing concerns that she could cave in to the pressure of being one of Indias highest-profile competitors.

 

“You learn to deal with the pressure.” On her performance Tuesday, she said she was lacking match practice.

 

Mirza has had a poor start to the year, losing in the second round in Auckland followed by a first-round defeat in Hobart.

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