London: Sania Mirza, who is set to retire at the end of this season, on Thursday penned a heartfelt goodbye note on social media after the loss in Wimbledon mixed-doubles semifinals against defending champions Neal Skupski and Desirae Krawczyk.
"Sport takes so much out of you .. Mentally , physically, emotionally…The wins and the losses...hours of hard work and sleepless nights after tough losses But it gives you soooo much in return that not many other 'jobs' can give you and for which i am forever grateful for the tears and the joy ,the fight and the struggle.. the work we put in is all worth it in the end ..." she wrote.
"It wasn't meant to be this time @wimbledon but you have been nothing but spectacular. It has been an honour to play here and win here over the last 20 years ..i will miss you fans until we meet again," she said.
Mirza and her Croatian partner Mate Pavic were defeated 6-4, 5-7, 4-6 by Skupski and Krawczyk.
This was the best performance by Sania in the mixed doubles at Wimbledon, but in the doubles contest, Sania had clinched the title alongside Swiss legend Martina Hingis in 2015.
Hingis and Sania had won the US Open 2015 title and the 2016 Australian Open as well, making it a hat-trick of Grand Slams.
With six Grand Slam titles, including three mixed doubles trophies under her belt, Sania is the country's most accomplished women's tennis player.
She had earlier won the 2009 Australian Open and the 2012 French Open while partnering with Mahesh Bhupathi.
Sania had also clinched the 2014 US Open title with Brazilian Bruno Soares. She was hoping to complete a career slam in Mixed Doubles before she hung her racquet at the end of the season. (UNI)
