Tennis: Sania furious at being used as ‘bait’

LONDON: India’s Sania Mirza has lashed out at the country’s tennis chiefs, saying she was humiliated at being used as ‘bait’ to pacify Leander Paes in an Olympic selection row. Paes reportedly made being paired with Mirza in the mixed doubles event at the Olympics a pre-condition for playing with a lower-ranked player in the men’s doubles. Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi had earlier refused to be paired with Paes.  “As an Indian woman in the 21st century, what I find disillusioning is the humiliating manner in which I was put up as bait to try and pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis,” said Mirza. “The manner and timing of the announcement reeks of male chauvinism. This kind of blatant humiliation of Indian womanhood needs to be condemned.”

Published in The Express Tribune, June 28^th, 2012.