Former doubles Number first  Sania Mirza has confirmed her plans to retire from professional tennis at Dubai Tennis Championships, a WTA 1000 event, which starts on February 19.

The 36-year-old Mirza had planned to put up her racket at the conclusion of the 2018 season, but an elbow ailment forced her to retire as early as August and prevented her from competing in the US Open.

Mirza, a six-time major champion—three in doubles and three in mixed doubles, has committed to competing alongside Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan at this month's Australian Open.

The tennis prodigy from India, who has lived in Dubai for more than 10 years, will thereafter try to say goodbye to the country where she has competed for many years in front of her devoted fan base.

Mirza hopes that despite her ongoing calf issue, she would be able to bid her farewells on the match court.

Since we were going to the WTA Finals, Sania said to wtatennis.com, "I was intending to stop soon after the WTA Finals, but I tore my tendon in my elbow right before the US Open so I had to drop out of everything."

Since I am the kind of person I am, I like to do things my way. I therefore don't want an injury to make me leave. I have thus been exercising. Trying to retire in Dubai during the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships is the goal, she said.
Sania recently provided an explanation for why she thought this was the ideal time in an interview with "Curly Tales Middle East."
"I'm 36, and the main cause of it is that my body is exhausted. Furthermore, I no longer have the mental capacity to exert that much emotional pressure. In 2003, I went pro. Priorities change, and right now, I don't want to constantly strain my body, the Indian stated.

Mirza, a mother of a 4-year-old kid named Izhaan, just opened a tennis academy in Dubai. It already has three locations and will expand to two additional communities in the upcoming weeks.

Sania, who reached her highest singles ranking of No. 27 in the world, said that the goal is to expand tennis and bring it into people's homes.

"I wonder why we don't have players coming from the UAE when they have money, infrastructure, and everything else, but not the players. We must address the issue, whatever it may be, and make an effort to contribute to finding a solution. She said, "I think it's vital for me to share my experiences in the locations where I reside, so I have one in Hyderabad [since 2013] and one in Dubai.

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