Sania opens tennis school in Edgbaston

Birmingham, June 13 (UNI) Notwithstanding her recent poor shows, Sania Mirza's popularity transcends boundaries and the Hyderabadi teenager was cynosure of all eyes when she declared open a tennis school here.

Currently here to participate in the WTA Tier III DFS Classic, Sania took time off her preparation to open a brand new tennis facility at Harborne Hill School in Edgbaston, Birmingham.

Immensely popular here, the world number 41 shared her experience with the students of Harborne Hill and Chadvale, a local junior school.

''It is really nice that tennis is catching up all over the world.

It is great that they are trying to get tennis as one of the main games after cricket or football in England and India so as a tennis player, I have a responsibility to make the game grow in anyway I can.'' ''There have been a lot of girls now picking up tennis rackets and say 'I want to play tennis'. It's nice to know that people look up to and they want to be like you one day,'' Sania said while visiting the school.

Andy Wright, Head Teacher of Harborne Hill School said, ''It is absolutely brilliant to have Sania Mirza here today to open the courts officially. It is a big lift for the school, the sport and is fantastic for the area.'' Sania is slated to kick-off her campaign in the 200,000 dollar event later today with a match against Ukrainian Alona Bondarenko and the Indian sounded confident.

''I have hit over the last few days and I definitely like the grass. Whenever I enter a tournament my first aim is to clear the first round. I have a tough first round against Bondarenko who I played two years ago in the final at the Hyderabad WTA Tour tournament which I won. So it will be interesting. It is a great warm up for Wimbledon,'' she said of the match.

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