I don't feel extra pressure, just feel responsible, says Sania Mirza about the quest for an Olympic medal

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna moved one step closer to a medal at the Olympics by defeating the Australian pair of Samantha Stosur and John Peers in  the mixed doubles event on Friday. With a comfortable straight sets win of 7-5, 6-4, in a match that lasted 73 minutes, the pair are now through to the quarter finals, which increase the stakes and he pressure as well. The forthright Sania Mirza though has her own take on the pressure of performing at the world stage.

"I don't feel any extra pressure. I just feel responsible every time I step on the court, whether at the Olympics or Grand Slam. It's very tough. If you have to win the tournament, you have to win everybody. You have to hope for the best," she said after clinching the pre quarter-final match today, reported by TOI.

Watch here to know more of the Sania Mirza story

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The ace tennis player, whose doubles partnership with Martina Hingis ended recently after the two decided to part ways, certainly had her wits about her when quizzed about the added pressure on athletes, and the conquest for the elusive medal at the Games. "People follow it (Olympics) every single day and morning. As athletes, we have dealt enough pressure, point after point. We can't think about other aspects what happened outside. Hopefully it's going to happen and we are going to win the medal or somebody else," the world No 1 in WTA doubles ranking added.

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The Indians will face off the British pair of Andy Murray and Heather Watson next. A third timer at the Olympics, Sania would no doubt be looking to clinch a medal, something that has eluded her in her last two outings.  This comfortable win would definitely have been a confidence booster.

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