NEW DELHI — India Prime Minister Narendra Modi led an outpouring of praise Monday for Sania Mirza after she became the country’s first tennis player to be ranked No. 1 in women’s doubles.
"An excellent accomplishment ↕MirzaSania! Congrats on being World Number 1 in doubles," Modi wrote on his Twitter page after Mirza won the Family Circle doubles title in Charleston on Sunday partnering Swiss great Martina Hingis.
The 28-year-old Mirza, who decided to focus on doubles in 2012 after a recurring wrist injury, won a third consecutive doubles title partnering Hingis and her 25th overall on the WTA Tour.
"It’s a dream come true," Mirza told India’s NDTV news channel. "For me, my family, and my country too. It was a bit nervy toward the end of the second set and we were on match point twice. But that’s tennis, you have to win every point to cross the finish line, nobody gives it to you."
Cricket great Sachin Tendulkar said Mirza was an inspiration for upcoming tennis players.
"Congratulations to ↕MirzaSania on being crowned World No. 1 in Doubles. Terrific achievement and will inspire more to pursue the sport," Tendulkar tweeted.
Women’s badminton player Saina Nehwal, who hails from Mirza’s southern Indian city of Hyderabad and was briefly ranked No. 1 in singles earlier this month, also congratulated Mirza.
"MirzaSania World number 1 in doubles congratulations huge achievement. All the very best for future," Nehwal wrote on her Twitter page.
India’s test cricket captain Virat Kohli said both Nehwal and Mirza had made the country proud.
"First Saina and now ↕MirzaSania. Indian women conquering the No.1 spot and making us proud! Congratulations!" he tweeted.
Married to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, Mirza had a highest singles ranking of No. 27 in 2007.