Being No 1 is my target: Sania

Stating that 2013 has been a dream year, Indian doubles specialist, Sania Mirza, asserted that she was not contemplating retirement as she was already looking forward to the next season on the circuit. Winning more Grand Slam titles and becoming the top ranked doubles player remain the dreams she continues to chase with dexterity.

Looking refreshing in a jeans, the face of India women tennis, told reporters in her academy here on Tuesday that winning five doubles titles in a season was an indication that she was playing true to form.

She closed the season with the doubles title in the company of Cara Black when she won the coveted WTA China Open.

‘I am feeling confident that I am in peak form. The new-found enthusiasm comes from the wonderful chemistry I enjoy with Cara. I do regret that I failed to add two more despite making it to the title clashes. In the US Open we were marginally unlucky,’ said Sania while taking the reporters for a walk in her state-of-the-art academy.

It has been an eventful year on more counts than one. She was compelled to switch partners frequently for several reasons. However, she indicated that she was enjoying a good on-court rapport with Cara because of which they enter the next year as regular partners.

"I always used to say when I was playing, whenever I used to give myself a target, I used to get injured. So, I stopped giving myself a target. Because, I would achieve it and I would get hurt. Sometimes, I think I push my body too much. I would have taken it with both hands. The goal is to try and to be number one in the world. That is what we are playing for. I hope I will be able to do that in the near future," she said.

Sania called her partner Black an amazing player and from whom she got to learn a lot.

"She has won, I think, 10 grand slams. So, it is great to play with her. I am excited and looking forward to it," she said.

Asked about her different partners, Sania said everyone had their strengths.

"I think everyone have their own pluses. We complement each other in different ways. So, obviously, Bethanie (Mattek-Sands) is my best friend on the tour. It was a tough decision for us to split in the middle of the year because of health issues.

"Cara will be here in December to train for two weeks in Hyderabad, so that we are ready for the next beginning of the season," she said.

She said she is fully fit and has matured as a player compared to last year.

"I did not have a major injury for the last couple of years. That is definitely been one of the reasons why I have been able to put in all that hard work. I think I matured as a player. You can always keep improving till the day you stop playing.

"I have improved myself. I have improved at the net. I understand the doubles game better. On the whole, I feel I am a better player than I was last year."

Sania is trying to help under-privileged young players and had recently taken a young player with disability for training in the academy.