Sania may renew her double partnership with Peer
MIL/Agencies, Mar 9, 2006.
Sania Mirza is hoping to renew her doubles partnership with Israel's Shahar Peer despite protests from some Muslim and Jewish groups.
Mirza, whose poor recent form has seen her slip from a career-high ranking of 31 at the end of 2005 to 45th, said she would have played with Peer at this week's Pacific Life Open, but the Israeli player had already booked a partner. 
"You shouldn't mix sports with anything else," the 19-year-old said. "If I had to follow the stereotype of what a woman athlete should be in India, then I wouldn't be playing tennis because there aren't many girls who pick up rackets when they are six. If you believe it's right, if your loved ones believe it's right, then it's right."
Mirza and Peer united for the first time when they reached the quarterfinals of the event in Bangkok last October, but some religious groups met their partnership with anger.
"We are playing sports," Peer said at the time in Thailand. "We don't think about politics. It's a good idea to bring (cultures) together, but we will play together because we want to and will have good results."
Sania enjoyed a breakout season in 2005, capturing her first WTA title in Hyderabad and reaching the fourth round of the US Open before succumbing to Russia's Maria Sharapova.
But her results in 2006 have been poor. She has won just three singles matches in five events since the turn of the year.
"You should never be satisfied. People come up with that I'm the first Indian woman to accomplish blah, blah, blah, and that's the hardest part for me," said the 28th seed for Indian Wells.
Full story: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1060309/asp/sports/story_5945420.asp
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