Sania Mirza bowled over by Shoaib Akhtar

Chandigarh : Shoaib Akhtar may not have set alight the cricket series yet but the Pakistani speedster has already won an admirer in tennis ace Sania Mirza. Sania, in the city to watch the second Indo-Pak one day cricket match at Mohali on Thursday, said she liked Shoaib Malik and Shahid Afridi as well but the ‘Rawalpindi express’ stood apart because of his aggression.

“Shoaib Malik is good and I also liked Afridi for a while. But personally, I like Shoaib’s (Akhtar) aggression. He is a great cricketer,” Sania said at the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) stadium on Wednesday.

The Hyderabadi said it would be her first India-Pakistan ODI on Wednesday.

“The last one I watched was between India and New Zealand at Hyderabad,” said Sania, whose father and some friends are accompanying her.

Sania, who spent the last weekend in Goa trying to relax during the off season, said she would re-start training at the end of this month.

“I am trying to relax during the off-season,” she said, adding coming back from injury takes a lot of physical and mental effort. Sania cut short her assignments after pulling a stomach muscle in Japan last month but is expected to be ready to play in the Hopman Cup in Perth from December 30.

Sania, currently ranked 32, said she was constantly trying to improve it.

“Though being number 32 in the world is not bad, but I am working hard. Maybe some day I will be there (in the top league),” she said. The tennis ace also said that she would do her best to win a medal in the Beijing Olympics next year.

“I have never played in the Olympics. It’s going to be my first Olympic Games and also my first event in China, where I have not played earlier,” she said.

Asked about her memories of playing at the CLTA, Sania said it has been around six years when she last played here.

“I remember that I was playing in the under-18 semi-final match when I sustained a knee injury. The scar is still there, but I went on to win that semis after being down 2-5 in the second set and eventually won the final as well,” she said.

Earlier on her arrival at the CLTA, Sania interacted with the budding tennis players. Sania told them that she felt good to see so many kids playing at the academy.

“There is a thin line between being positive and putting pressure on yourself,” she said, asking the kids to enjoy their game.

It is long known that Nagarjuna's son, Naga Chaitanya, is making his debut in a film directed by Puri Jagannath, the specialist in launching star son

It is long known that Nagarjuna's son, Naga Chaitanya, is making his debut in a film directed by Puri Jagannath, the specialist in launching star sons. At present, the young scion of the Akkineni family is taking voice modulation, dancing, martial arts and acting lessons in preparation for his debut.

According to sources close to Puri Jagannath, who is flying high on Bujjigadu's success, Sania Mirza will do a five-minute cameo appearance opposite the young debutante. In fact, Nagarjuna had approached the tennis star personally for this role. He had previously approached Sania to act in his next film, but Sania had been focussing on her career and had turned him down.

Sania Mirza's cameo is more or less confirmed in Naga Chaitanya's debut, though the lead heroine hasn't been confirmed yet.

tennis

Is Vidya dreaming?29 May 2008
THE OTHERWISE shy and reticent Vidya Balan has suddenly become courageous and brave — after all Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya!
Vidya recently announced that she’s no longer single, “I’m at peace with myself and I have someone special in my life.”
Not stopping at that Vidya further says her special friend’s name is a secret (shhhhh) because it reads Sh….!”
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell us that Vidya’s mysterious special friend is her Kismet Connection co-star Shahid Kapur with whom she has been linked for sometime now.
When quizzed if her special friend was Shahid Kapur? Vidya explains, “We started off as co-stars but today he is very close. He’s the first co-star who’s closer to me by age, experience and temperament. We get along soooo well and share the same likes and dislikes. I’d love working with him again!”
Has Vidya revealed a bit too much than what ‘good friend’ Shahid would’ve liked? Seems so, because ever since Vidya’s made her affections for Shahid crystal clear in public, Shahid has been running for cover and straight into Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza’s arms!
Post break-up with Kareena, Shahid has been linked to his co-stars Amrita Rao and Vidya Balan, but off-late his growing closeness to Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza has also been talked about.
Shahid was introduced to Sania by a close friend in April and has struck a good friendship with the 21-year-old who changed the face of Indian tennis and holds the distinction of being the first Indian woman to be seeded in a Grand Slam tennis tournament. Apart from that her trademark nose ring and funky T-shirts have always kept her in the news.
Shahid and Sania have often been spotted together. Sources say that Shahid has been visiting Sania in her hometown Hyderabad, and Sania too travels to Mumbai where she’s a regular at the J W Marriott where she hangs out with Shahid.
While Shahid and Sania set the gossip mills buzzing with their budding friendship they have never talked about their relationship ever. Meanwhile rumours surrounding Shahid’s closeness to Vidya are doing the rounds. And now Viday has made it quite public with her loud ‘hint’.
The couple got friendly while shooting for Aziz Mirza’s Kismet Connection, in Sydney, Australia. Kareena had just ditched Shahid for Saif and reportedly it was Vidya who consoled the young actor.
Says a source close to Vidya, “She has fallen madly in love with Shahid and is blinded by everything else. She has even convinced herself that Shahid is all hers. She turns a blind eye to the press reports of Shahid meeting Sania. That Vidya even discussed her relationship with the Press is definitely a shocker, as Vidya has never talked about her personal life before this. It is a well-known fact that Vidya tries her best to avoid the Press. It is usually her manager who replies to many of the media queries. His curt reply to most is that the actress is busy shooting. This is rather strange as she just has one film Kismet Connection in her kitty! Maybe she’s busy waiting for Shahid to return from his date with Sanya and spend some time with her.
One really cannot understand why Vidya wants the world to know about Shahid, when he is keeping totally mum. There could be three reasons. He is scared of making things public like he did with Kareena. Vidya is disillusional thinking they are a couple. Or, he is ashamed to admitting to Vidya for many reasons,” continued the bitchy source.
“Vidya should first get her act together. She does not realise that Shahid is the shy type who does not like women running after him. She should first take a serious look at herself and her clothes sense. She is always looking disheveled and untidy. She should seriously consider losing weight and looking good. She is the right opposite of Shahid’s last girlfriend. Maybe Shahid feels that people would compare Vidya to Kareena so it is better to keep quiet and not make his relationship public.
“You may think I am joking about this,” continues the source, “ but believe me Shahid is a very proud and private guy. The last thing he would like is a comparison between Kareena and the over weight Vidya. After all Kareena has a hot body, a hot boyfriend and has won all the awards. The media is bound to point out all these factors. What does Vidya have? Nothing star-like to speak of. No great films and a lousy dress sense!” she bitched.
“Thank heavens that Vidya has decided to work hard on losing some weight. She has appointed a yoga instructor and dietician for the same.”
Post Vidya’s public declaration Shahid hasn’t said a word to the Press.
A friend of Shahid’s reveals, “Shahid always thought that Bebo and he were forever, so the break-up left him devastated. He likes Vidya a lot but he’s scared about being heart-broken again.”
But then why is he hanging out with Sania? The friend reveals, “Sania is also very close to Shahid, they share a lot of common interests and are great friends. Shahid is no mood to rush into any relationship!”
Or is the actor just keeping all his options open?

Sania Mirza in Naga Chaitanya debut film?

Esther Sunita [May 29, 2008, 11:25:28 AM]
It is long known that Nagarjuna’s son, Naga Chaitanya, will make his debut in a film directed by Puri Jagannath, the specialist in launching star sons. At present, the young scion of the Akkineni family is taking voice modulation lessons and dancing, martial arts and acting lessons in preparation for his debut.
According to sources close to Puri Jagannath, who is flying high on Bujjigadu’s success, Sania Mirza will do a five-minute cameo appearance opposite the young debutante. In fact, Nagarjuna had approached the tennis star personally for this role. He had previously approached Sania to act in his next film, but Sania had been focussing on her career and had turned him down.
Sania Mirza’s cameo is more or less confirmed in Naga Chaitanya’s debut film, though the lead heroine hasn’t been confirmed yet!

Sania pulls out of French Open due to wrist injury

New Delhi: India's tennis sensation, Sania Mirza, has officially pulled out of the French Open that will begin on May 25.
Sania had undergone a surgery on April 10 in Florida to repair a tear on her right wrist.
The cast was removed on May 5, and Sania has been undergoing physical rehabilitation since then.
She will be looking to get back onto the courts in time for the DFS Classic in Birmingham which starts on June 6.
Sania has suffered from a spate of injuries in the past too. She had been forced out of the circuit for months in 2007 due to a knee, muscle and a wrist injury.
The tennis star has played thrice at the French Open, but is yet to get past the second round

Mirza agrees to Birmingham return

Mirza joins Jankovic and Bartoli at the DFS Classic (Getty)

Indian star Sania Mirza has confirmed she will be playing at the DFS Classic in Birmingham from 9-15 June.

Mirza, 21, is ranked 32 in the world and has taken part in the tournament at the Edgbaston Priory Club for the past three years.

Tournament Director Marjory Howie said: "It's a great boost to have Sania coming back to compete in Edgbaston as she's been a crowd favourite.

"I'm sure Sania will help to make this DFS Classic one of the best we've had."

Her best performance in the tournament was in 2006 when she reached the third round.

Mirza has also competed at Wimbledon for three consecutive years, recording two second round appearances in the process.

Her lone WTA Tour title came at her home town event in Hyderabad in 2005, where she defeated Alona Bondarenko in the final.