Dreaming bigger, Sania Mirza returns to Indian Fed Cup team after four years

New Delhi, December 25: India’s doubles star Sania Mirza on Tuesday returned to the Indian Fed Cup team after four years as she was named in the five-member squad, which features country's top singles player Ankita Raina.

 

 

 

Sania last played Fed Cup in 2016 and has been out of action since October 2017 as she took a two-year maternity break. Last October - almost exactly a year after her last match - Mirza and husband Shoaib Malik, a former cricket star, welcomed their first son Izhaan to the world. But the trailblazing Grand Slam champion and former World No.1 knew she still had more tennis left in her.

 

Sania is making a comeback at Hobart International with Ukraine's Nadiia Kichenok, the current world number 38. Before her sabbatical, Sania won six doubles Grand Slam titles, including three mixed, achieved the number one rank, won medals at multi-disciplinary events apart from laying hands on a year-end WTA Finale title with Swiss great Martina Hingis.

 

 

 

The five-member squad has Riya Bhatia (379), Rutuja Bhosale (466), and Karman Kaur Thandi (568). Ankita, who is ranked 180 in the WTA singles chart, is believed to be a winning prospect and seems to be way above her compatriots. Former Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal will be seen captaining the Indian side, while former Fed Cupper Ankita Bhambri has been named the coach of the side, that will have Sowjanya Bavisetti as the reserve player.