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Sania to train under Roche for three weeks
Onkar Singh
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December 02, 2005 18:53 IST
Last Updated: December 03, 2005 11:29 IST

Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza [Images] will undergo a three-week training stint under the watchful eyes of former Australian tennis legend Tony Roche, from December 6 to 27.

"She has some problems of fitness and I have written a letter to Tony Roche and we are now looking forward to our meeting with the tennis legend," Sania's father Imran Mirza informed on Friday.

"Roche had a good service. Sania is having some problems with her serve and I am confident after three weeks of training under him she will be able to overcome her shortcomings," he added.

He admitted that Sania is having problems with her fitness.

"But this happens to most of the players, because when you stretch yourself too much the body is not able to take the stress and strain; the body takes knocks, but she takes the injuries in her stride," he said.

Sania is in Delhi [Images] to play exhibition matches. She will partner men's doubles ace Mahesh Bhupathi [Images] against 1996 Wimbledon [Images] champion Richard Krajicek and his sister Michaella on Sunday at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association courts.

The match will be held on the sidelines of the ABN Amro Tennis Men's Challenge, a US $15,000 tournament featuring the top eight players of the country, on Saturday and Sunday. The winner of the event will earn a qualifying round wild card for the ABN Amro ATP Tour event in Rotterdam, Holland, in February next year.

Krajicek is the brand ambassador of ABN Amro and tournament director of the Rotterdam event.

Sania said she is "so excited" about the event. "I really don't know. I think if it is India versus Holland, it would be competitive. I hope India beats Holland in the tournament."

Asked whether it is true that she would be playing the exhibition match to test her fitness, Sania replied: "Mahesh said a little while back that he is put on the floor. Now I feel that I have been put on the floor.

"Yes, my back was stiff and by playing in the tournament I would be able to check my fitness. But I am her to play tennis as I had not played in Delhi for a long time."



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