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PACIFIC LIFE OPEN

March 18, 2008

Sania Mirza

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You had chances in the second set there, eh?
SANIA MIRZA: I had chances in the first, as well. I mean, I had probably five games of game points and break points. Started with the first game.
I think it just looked much closer in the second because I converted them. In the first I didn't. I guess that's what matters.
But, yeah, I mean, I think I started trying too hard, because every time I got up 40-love I started thinking, I have to finish this point because she's going to come up with some big shots.
The second set did get very close. I think she was feeling it a little bit, obviously. Maybe the game at 4-3 could have changed it. Even though I went up 5-4, it's still my -- my wrist is very sore, but I think that game at 5-4 is the game I should have taken.

Q. So what happened with the wrist?
SANIA MIRZA: I've actually had it for a few days now since we have been playing in the wind. I have something going on and off with the wrist. With the wind I think it triggered it a little bit. It was fine, you know, I just hit 45 minutes yesterday.
I was fine when I came on, and I hit a late forehand on one of her returns and then the very next point I hit another very late forehand, and just, I mean, I couldn't press the button on the bike just now, so it's very, very sore right now. It's been swollen.

Q. When you're saying the wind, were you just overhitting into the wind?
SANIA MIRZA: No, what happens is obviously I have a very western grip on my forehand. That's the reason I have the problem with my wrist. It's almost like a chronic problem. Either I change my grip, which I'm not going to do, or I, you know, probably have to get surgery or something, which, you know... That's something that keeps coming.
What happens in the wind is because you're not really timing the ball perfectly all the time. Obviously you're hitting it all over the place. Your wrist takes a lot of pressure and I play a lot with my wrist, on my forehand especially. I use a lot of my wrist.

Q. What's the chances of you having surgery during the season?
SANIA MIRZA: Right now it's very, very painful. It was hurting me to -- I don't know how I was playing there, because, I mean, the ball was just flying out because I couldn't move my wrist. I couldn't even do -- I can't do it right now.
I mean, usually it doesn't get this sore, so I'm a little worried right now. It gets sore and then it gets okay, you know, when I ice it and do whatever I have to do. So at the moment I'm not looking at that option.
I'm going to try and push it as much as I can, obviously. I'm going to get an MRI next couple of days.

Q. Have you ever had an MRI on it?
SANIA MIRZA: On the wrist?

Q. Yeah.
SANIA MIRZA: Yeah, I had it. It was a while ago and it was fine at that point. It's just something to do with my grip. Like I said, I mean, it's very hard for me, because I'm almost like defying nature every time I hit a forehand because, you know, I'm going in a very weird way because I have a very extreme grip.
Yeah, it's just -- it's something that's been there for the last three years, actually, you know, two-and-a-half years, if I can remember correctly. It just keeps coming -- it comes back on fast courts, so every time I play in Stanford I'm taping my wrist because it's always there, the court is so much faster.
Q. Why don't you go a little bit less western, because it's not like you can't flatten your forehand out.
SANIA MIRZA: Easier said than done.

Q. But you do it sometimes.
SANIA MIRZA: I've been doing it for the last 16 years of my life I've been playing like this. When I did start playing, I had a very, very -- more western than this, and then at one point we tried to correct it and over a period of time.
And then I wouldn't go anymore. When I was about 10, I would not go anymore, and then we just left it at that. Then my forehand turned into what it is today.
So I mean, it's a big step to even change it half an inch or, you know, because my game is my forehand. You know, it's not easy to change a grip at the stage where you're like 30 in the world, so...
But, yeah, I mean, if I have to, I will, but that's not an option. I would obviously like to look at other options before that.

Q. Would you ever think about maybe playing with a slightly larger grip?
SANIA MIRZA: I have very small hands.

Q. But it might change some of the pressure points and stuff, or smaller, I don't know, whichever one?
SANIA MIRZA: Like I said, it keeps coming and going, so that's not something that I've really looked into it because it comes one day -- like I had it in my first round against Savchuk, and then I didn't have it against Shahar.
So it's -- it's not that frequent, but it's only when the wind is more I have it. I think because of the wind that I've been playing in the last few days. I played the doubles in a very windy condition. It was kind of tender, not sore, when I went on.
I mean, I didn't have any tape, nothing. I just went on and played. I was fine until I hit that late forehand.

Q. If you were to substantially improve your serve, how much higher do you think you could go, getting a lot more cheap points and not having to fight hard on your service games?
SANIA MIRZA: Obviously against players like Daniela who have a big serve and who at 5-4 can come up with a big serve in a tiebreak in the second set, yeah, obviously my serve is exposed.
I do think I've come, you know, a long ways since the last one year. I do feel like I'm serving a lot better. Obviously, you know, Daniela is one of the best servers in the world in the game. Obviously compared to her that's not really my strength, and her serve is her strength.
Yeah, that's definitely something I'm working on. Like I say, I have come a long way and maybe in a year -- it's a hard process to see it, but yeah, that's something I'm working on.
I think obviously if I get a bigger serve, you know, I might get a lot of free points, like you said, and obviously help my game.

Q. Can you tell how comfortable she is playing on that court? She's won this title two times and it just looks like to me when she's out there just on that court she feels free and she's hitting her shots and she's not getting nervous.
SANIA MIRZA: Maybe. You know, she came up with some very big shots, I mean, from weird angles, and I think the fact that there's a bit of altitude helps her over here. She hits a very flat ball.
The ball obviously travels a lot faster through the air which helps her, you know, I think. I feel, you know, because we've practiced before and I've played her in Sydney a couple of years ago, I just feel like over here her ball is much deeper. Sometimes you feel like it's going long, and then it doesn't go long.
Or maybe she's just very comfortable. She's had her first win here. She's obviously the defending champion from last year.
She does play a much bigger game here. Maybe that's mental, physical or just the way she plays.

Q. So doubles is up in the air, huh?
SANIA MIRZA: Yeah, I'll have to -- I'm going to go get some treatment, see how I feel, and I still have a day -- like I said, it could be perfectly fine by tomorrow morning, you know.
It just depends on the day. So I'll see how it feels tomorrow morning, and I haven't spoken to Bethany yet.

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