Indian tennis player Sania Mirza got selected for the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) during the 56th Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) meeting. The meeting for the same was held on Wednesday.
Her selection marks her comeback into the TOPS. Mirza was previously selected in the TOPS during the fourth meeting of the TOPS Elite Athletes Identification Committee. The was conducted in 2017 at the headquarters of the Sports Authority of India (SAI). However, she withdrew from the TOPS.
Sania Mirza ranks 157 in the world
Sania Mirza currently ranks 157 in the world and stands at the ninth position in tennis doubles. Her latter rankings might help her play at the Tokyo Olympics which is scheduled to be conducted in July this year.
The WTA rules state that a player's rank is frozen if they have been inactive for six months due to any kind of medical conditions. If a player has been inactive for 52 weeks, their ranking is then frozen for a period of three years, which is based on the last tournament they participated in. However, a sportsperson is allowed to participate in 12 tournaments by using their protected ranking ( which includes 1 Grand Slam/Olympics & 1 WTA 1000 Mandatory Event).
In Sania Mirza's case, she hasn't been in the game for more than 52 weeks. Her inactive period commenced in October 2017. She was subsequently back in action in January last year when she won a doubles tournament.
Sania Mirza bashes sexism in a new Instagram reel
Earlier in the day, tennis player Sania Mirza slammed sexist comments women have to face if they want to pursue sports. She bashed this form of sexism by posting a video on Instagram. The video mentioned sexist statements which said that girls need to cook and playing is for boys. There were other statements that bashed colourism and questioned how a woman can run a family if she participates in tournaments.
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