Rio 2016 | Sania Mirza : We have to forget the emotion, and give our best in semis

08/13/2016

After knocking out Great Britain’s Andy Murray and Heather Watson in the mixed doubles quarter-final encounter on Friday, Sania Mirza said that they would have to keep the emotions aside and start afresh in the semis. Mirza and Bopanna will face USA’s Rajeev Ram and Venus Williams in the semis.

The match began with Rohan Bopanna taking India up 30-0, but Murray soon stamped his presence on the match with two aces, and all of sudden Indian pair were down 0-2 in the first set. But they broke back immediately on Watson's serve, while Sania held hers to draw par at 2-2. At 3-3, they again went after Watson's serve, and India had the break they needed. After Murray and Sania held serve, Bopanna served out the set in style with two aces to win the first set 6-4. In the second set, they were much more comfortable, and took the game and the match with the same score to enter the semis.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Sania Mirza made it clear that they would have to keep the emotions aside in the semis, and start afresh to defeat their opponents.

We still think we can improve as every round becomes tougher from here on."

Sania Mirza

"We still think we can improve as every round becomes tougher from here on. We played two amazing champions today and we look forward to playing champions, whoever it is, tomorrow," Sania said, reported PTI.

"Everyday is a new day. Yes we are confident after beating Andy but in the end, we have to forget the emotion what happened and give our best again by staying fresh," she added.

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna will face USA’s Rajeev Ram and Venus Williams in the semi-final tonight.

The World No.1 in women’s doubles also revealed that they had done their homework in the match against Andy Murray and Heather Watson, and it helped them in crucial moments.

"We had a gameplan, we saw their videos. We had to stick to it and try to keep Andy out of it. We wanted to make him play the uncomfortable shots. He's obviously the best in the world. We had to try and bring him in.”

We had a gameplan, we saw their videos. We had to stick to it and try to keep Andy out of it."

"My return was coming good for me. Whenever he did play we had to play to his weakness. He was serving and volleying. No matter what happens I know I was the one who's going to be attacked. That's what happens when you're a girl. You obviously expect the ball is going to come to you as a guy always serves better and stronger. You have to be ready," the 29-year-old opined.

Mirza and Bopanna also did not forgot to praise each other for the brilliant performance.

"We feel as a team together. I feel my returns were better than yesterday. I was able to break everybody. No matter whom we are playing against. Rohan was also very solid. We had the confidence on each other, unless I did something stupid," Sania said.

"It was not so windy so it helped. We knew we had to put our A game out there with especially Andy. Sania was returning extremely well and it became easy for me at the net. She hits the ball really hard and aggressive, it makes me easier to move in the court, that made a difference," Bopanna said praising Sania.

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