Ace tennis star Sania Mirza has documented her journey to becoming World No. 1 in the women’s doubles rankings in an autobiography set for release this July, according to publishers Harper Collins.
Titled, ‘Ace Against Odds,’ the book has been penned by Mirza with her father Imran Mirza and chronicles her rise to the top. It is peppered with anecdotes about the hardships and triumphs she fielded in her journey.
“I hope the book is a useful roadmap to guide the next generation of tennis players from India. If my story can inspire even one youngster to the heights of winning a Grand Slam in the future, I will feel blessed,” said the 29-year-old.
Mirza shot to fame at the age of 16 after winning the Wimbledon’s Championships Girls’ Doubles title and was ranked as India’s No. 1 player by the Women’s Tennis Association, both in singles and doubles circuits.
In 2012, she announced her retirement from the singles circuit. Between August 2015 and March 2016, she underwent a remarkable transformation, pocketing 41 consecutive wins with her doubles partner Martina Hingis, and ultimately becoming the World No. 1 in the Women’s Doubles rankings.
“Sania’s is an extraordinary achievement and her autobiography is as compelling as it is inspirational,” said Karthika V K, publisher and chief editor, Harper Collins.
The book also contains some of the player’s encounters on and off the court and the people and relationships that contributed to her growth.
The high profile tennis star, who is married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, is among the highest paid athletes in the country. She was listed in the Time’s list of 100 most influential personalities in the world along with fellow Indians Raghuram Rajan and Priyanka Chopra.
In March this year, Mirza also received the Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award. She earlier received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Padma Shri and Arjuna award.