New Delhi: Tennis ace and doubles star Sania Mirza returned Tuesday to the Indian Fed Cup team after four years as she was named in the five-member squad that features country’s top singles player Ankita Raina.
Sania last played Fed Cup in 2016 and has been out of action since October 2017 as she took a two-year break to start a family. She was recently spotted during her sister’s marriage to Mohammed Azharuddin’s son.
Riya Bhatia (379), Rutuja Bhosale (466) and Karman Kaur Thandi (568) are the other players in the squad. Ranked 180 in the WTA singles chart, Ankita is way above her compatriots.
Former Davis Cupper Vishal Uppal will be the captain of the side while former Fed Cupper Ankita Bhambri has been named the coach of the side, which will have Sowjanya Bavisetti as the reserve player.
Prior to the Fed Cup evfent, Sania will be making a comeback at Hobart International next month with Ukraine’s Nadiia Kichenok, the current World No. 38.
Before her sabbatical, Sania won six doubles Grand Slam titles – including three mixed – achieved the No.1 rank in women’s doubles, won medals at multi-disciplinary events apart from laying hands on a year-end WTA Finale title with Swiss great Martina Hingis.
PTI