Sania recieved wild card entry to Olympics on Tuesday but upset being used as pawn to appease Paes.
London: The Indian Tennis sensation Sania Mirza slammed the All India Tennis Association (AITA) for using her as a pawn to make Leander Paes happy.
The tennis star received the final nod to qualify for London-Olympic Games on Tuesday. In her press release Sania said, “I am thrilled to have qualified to represent India at the Olympics in London. I am extremely grateful to the International Tennis Federation for the faith they have reposed in me by giving me a wild card entry that gives me a cherished opportunity to represent my country at the Olympics for the second time in my life”.
Sania further added, "Since the day AITA announced the team for the Olympics a lot of questions have been raised by friends, colleagues, their parents and of course, by the media. As I thought these questions were purely hypothetical without my having qualified, I did not think it was appropriate for me to respond to them at that point of time."
While targeting Paes’ father Sania said, "Dr. Vece Paes, who on camera asked me to give in writing my decision to partner his son for the mixed doubles event, I would like to point out that my commitment is to my country. For the sake of India I'm committed to play with Paes or Bhupathi or Rohan Bopanna or Somdev Devvarman or Vishnu Vardhan. There should never ever be a question on this although if asked, I am entitled to have my preferences."
While targeting AITA Mirza expressed, “As an Indian woman in the 21st century, what I find disillusioning is the humiliating manner in which I was put up as a bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis. While I feel honoured and privileged to have been chosen to partner Leander Paes, the manner and timing of the announcement wreaks of male chauvinism where a two time Grand Slam champion, who has been India's number 1 women's tennis player for almost a decade in singles and doubles, is offered as compensation to partner one of the feuding champions purely in order to lure him into accepting to play with a men's player he does not wish to play with”.
Recently, senior players Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna had refuse to make partnership with Paes in men's doubles. After that much junior Vishnu Vardhan was announced as Paes' partner for Olympics. This whole decison of AITA has enraged Paes. Hence AITA went forward and announced Sania as his mix doubles partner to cool down Paes' anger.