• Sania Mirza loses to Rohan Bopanna in the Australian Open mixed-doubles final.
• 36-year-old Mirza is regarded as her nation’s best female tennis player.
• First Indian to win a WTA singles title in 2005, in her birthplace of Hyderabad.

Sania Mirza, an Indian tennis icon, exited the Grand Slam circuit on Friday after losing to Rohan Bopanna, who had been her partner for 22 years, in the Australian Open mixed-doubles final.

The 36-year-old Mirza, who is regarded as her nation’s best female tennis player, made one final trip to Melbourne Park and advanced to the final set. She and 42-year-old Bopanna, though, fell short against Luisa Stefani and Rafael Matos of Brazil, losing 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.

During the post-match presentation ceremony, Mirza was in tears.

“Rohan was my first-ever mixed-doubles partner when I was 14 years old, and we won the nationals,” said Mirza, a six-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles.

“It was a long time ago, 22 years ago, and I couldn’t think of a finer guy — one of my best friends and collaborators — to finish my career here and play the final.

“There is no better venue or person for me to complete my Grand Slam career.”

Mirza said it was fantastic to play in front of his baby kid Izhaan in a big final. Mirza is married to former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik.

“I never thought I’d be able to play in front of my child in a Grand Slam final, so it’s very special to have my four-year-old and my parents here,” she said.

Mirza, recognised as a feisty convention-breaker, was the first Indian to win a WTA singles title in 2005, in her birthplace of Hyderabad.

In the same year, she advanced to the fourth round of the US Open, and by 2007, she was ranked among the top 30 women.

However, a wrist injury forced her to focus on doubles, where she teamed up with Swiss great Martina Hingis to win three Grand Slam championships.

After a tournament in Dubai, where she has lived for more than 10 years and just opened a tennis academy, she is scheduled to retire from all tennis.

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