A Conversation with Imran Mirza, Father and Coach of Sania Mirza.
In this insightful interview Part I, Imran Mirza reflects on their remarkable journey. He shares his pride in Sania’s legacy, which includes putting Indian women’s tennis on the world map. Mirza also opens up about his evolution as a coach, the challenges and triumphs they faced, and the valuable lessons he learned along the way.
This candid conversation offers a rare glimpse into the dedication, perseverance, and unwavering support that propelled Sania Mirza to the pinnacle of success in the world of tennis.
Note: This interview was taken during the Roland Garros 2022 event
Looking back – what are you most proud of in terms of the legacy that Sania will leave behind?
When she started out, we had no clue that she would reach this far. We were basically lovers of sport. We would have been happy if she had played at the state level or the national level, if that was what her level was going to be. From there, to have gone on to play all the Grand Slams and win all of them – it’s been incredible. At the back of the mind, you have this dream of playing in the Grand Slams and on the centre court but it was more a dream than anything concrete.
Sania Mirza has got India onto the Tennis map of the world in Womens. That is the legacy that we are really proud of.
When we went to the Grand Slams for the first time in 2001, she was playing Juniors. I was busy with my work and Sania had travelled there with her mother. Nobody even wanted to practise with Sania. The coaches there had felt that the Indians were not worth practising with. I remember my wife sending an SOS to me saying that at least you come and practice with her because no one here wants to even practise with her. I actually flew down on the cheapest ticket available and flew down to practise with her because nobody wanted to hit with her.
So from there to have reached World No.1, where she won Wimbledon and all the other Grand Slams and made a place for herself even in singles where she was 27 in the world. This is a huge huge accomplishment as far as we are concerned. To get our nation to this stage where people would be proud to even practise with her.
India had been unheard off in the tennis world, especially in Women’s tennis. That is the legacy we are really proud of.
Apart from being a Tennis parent – you have evolved yourself into one of the best coaches that Indian Tennis has ever seen. How did you mould your journey into this path?
You would be surprised, I am not much of a Tennis player. I played a bit of club level tennis, played a few Moin-ud-Dowlah tourneys reaching quarters/semis in doubles but that was about it. But I have followed Tennis for a very long time, since I was about 10 years old.
When I was 10 yrs old, my father took me to a tourney in Delhi where Jaideep Mukherjea and Premjit Lal were playing against Ilie Năstase and Ion Tiriac (World No. 1 players) – that was the first time that my love for the game developed.
We were more of a Cricketing family where everyone has played some level of Cricket, including Test cricket. Tennis, for me, always retained some place for me. In College, I played a little bit of Tennis. Then later while Sania was learning the game, I played a few tournaments with the coaches. So in that sense, I have always followed Tennis since I was 10 yrs old. I had also edited a Sports Magazine in the past.
So I always had an eye for ball games. I always tried to look at any sport from a critique`s point of view. That’s the way I wrote articles when I was editing this sports magazine. I do give myself the credit that I have a very keen eye as far as ball games are concerned.
When I look at the grip, the way the person is hitting – I can diagnose what is working for them and what are their weak points. Those are the things that really help. Then I had the good opportunity to work with some of the best coaches in the world through Sania.
I worked with Bob Brett and Sven Groenefeld. I worked with Tony Roche while he was working with Roger Federer. Sania Mirza was even hitting with Federer and I had the opportunity to talk to Federer as well. The good thing with these top notch coaches was that they were not hesitant to share their knowledge with me. They knew that I could not afford them for more than 2-4 weeks at a time. They were very eager to help me.
What I learnt from them – I am still using them in my coaching methods today. Also having travelled with Sania so vastly for 30 yrs now, from the grass root to the grand slam level – having a deep connection with her game – it has helped me. You would be surprised – While actually looking the other way and just by hearing the sound of the ball as it connects with Sania’s racquet – I can understand whether she is playing it correctly or not. I understand her game that closely.
So even though I don’t consider myself as a professional coach – the experience of travelling with Sania for about 30 years, interacting with the best coaches in the world and knowing her game so deeply – have helped me in my coaching journey.
Who are the coaches whom you have looked up to as a mentor and who influenced your coaching approach?
I learnt different things from different people. The advantage I had was that I learnt the best from them and moulded into what would suit Sania, as an India. I think that is one advantage I have had which very few others would have.
How important is it to play on different surfaces growing up? (i.e., Clay and Hard)
All that is important but you have to keep learning – that is the most important part. I am still learning everyday as a coach. When Sania started off, she played on cow dung courts but she still made it here. It does not mean that if you do not have the facility, you will never do it. You have to defy the odds.
Basically if you have to get here to this level, you have to defy a lot of odds. It’s not something that everyone can do. Not everyone can play a Grand Slam, leave aside winning it.
There is a lot of player intelligence these days (rankings, UTR, tennis recruiting). The Junior players win or lose matches before they step onto the court. Is all this player intelligence and data a blessing or a curse?
I would like the sport to remain a sport instead of becoming a computer. I remember one Coach telling Sania that there was this device coming up where when you look at a player, it will give all the information like where the player serves at 30-30, at 30-40 and at deuce. I remember standing there with Sania and saying – as if Tennis was not hard enough – you all want to make it even more harder!
As a coach, I have rarely written down things. When I see a match, what my analysis would come to might match with what the software might point to. I may not say that she has hit her forehand 7 times but I will say that she has hit her forehand more often. So it all comes down to – you don’t need to have the actual stats but when you see the match, you should be able to say what has happened.
You have made a huge impact not just on Sania Mirza but also on players like Prarthana Thombare, Snehadevi Reddy and so on. Is there a possibility of seeing you again in Indian Tennis as a Coach or as an Administrator?
I am not cut out for administration or official circles. I am too straightforward and I will say things which do not work in an organisational setting. I will continue to help the people who come to me, which I continued to do at the Sania Mirza Tennis Academy.
Any player comes to me for guidance or help – I can support them. I need to see that kind of commitment and that kind of talent. I think I am really good at helping a player who is ranked around say top 500 to bring them into a top-100. That’s where I would specialise as that’s where my greatest experience has been.
I find this in a lot of parents – they come to me, ask for guidance and then end up doing their own things. I still try to help them but it’s up to them whether they follow me or not because it takes a lot to reach the top echelons of the sport.
A loss that hurt you the most in Sania Mirza`s journey?
Losing out on the Olympic medal hurt even though I was not there. I wish I was there because sometimes being there makes a difference. She has played 11 Grand Slam finals and won 6. A loss at a Grand Slam final always hurts.
As a sportsperson, whether it is Roger Federer or Don Bradman – Don Bradman at the end of his career may have felt – I wish I had an average of 100 instead of 99.94. Similarly Roger Federer might feel that he should have won 25 Grand Slams and not 20. So that is the beauty of the sport.
This is not a Bollywood story where everything is hunky dory and ends on a positive note. Everyone will have some great moments and some regrets irrespective of their stature – so keeping an overall perspective is important.
During all these travels spanning about 30 years. Any friendships that you cherish?
I’ve had great connections with coaches, players – I have seen Rafa Nadal grow up in front of my eyes literally like a batchmate or something – so for me, he is still a kid. I’ve seen Roger for about 20 years now as Sania not only hit with him but also shared a coach for a brief while. These are not just big names to me but people who have become part of our lives as people travelling together on the tour for so many years.
There are about the same 400 people on the tour who meet most consistently week after week in different settings, countries. There are many people whom you do not know but you recognise them by face and they become a part of you. You would be wishing them because you have seen them day in and day out for the past 20 years. That’s something we take.
I remember Roger Federer saying that he does not want to stop because except for about 3 or 4 people whom I will continue to meet even after I am done, there are so many dozens and dozens of people who are not that close to me but I will still miss them as I see them week after week.
The only competition is on the court. Off the court – you are the best of friends and you would give your life for them. So this has become a big family for the past 20 years.