KUDOS TO MAHESH AND SANIA

Our heartiest congratulations to Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza for having done all Indians proud by winning the Australian Open Mixed doubles title. It was a first grand slam victory for Sania. And its after a long long time that an all Indian pair has gone out and won us a Grand Slam title. Ever since the highly successful duo of Mahesh and Leander broke up, we had all but given up hope of any tennis victory featuring an all Indian team.

What makes this victory even more sweet is the fact that the Indian duo were actually given a wild card entry into the event. In the men's section both Mahesh and Leander have been highly successful and highly ranked doubles players. In his previous six mixed doubles Grtand Slam titles, Mahesh has paired with the likes of Martina Hingis, Mary Pierce, Daniela Hantuchova, Elena Likhovtseva etc. These are some of the top names in women's tennis. It would therefore not have been too difficult for Mahesh to have found a more illustrious or higher ranked partner. Therefore, Mahesh needs to be complemented for having chosen Sania as his partner making it an all Indian pair.

Mahesh and Leander, ever coming back together as a team seems almost out of question, we must therefore hope and pray that this partnership with Sania achieves even greater glory and scales even greater heights than Mahesh and Leander ever did. One cannot but wonder, what Mahesh and Leander, the man with lightning fast reflexes, could have done together, had they not chosen to part ways. They would possibly have been in the same league as the legendary 'Woodies' of Australia.

All the best Sania and Mahesh. Keep up the good work and may you go from strength to strength from here on.

And before I sign off, heartiest Congratulations to the Delhi lad Yuki Bhambri for his triumph in the junior event. All the very best to Yuki for a bright future.

I watched the Indian duo's progress in the tournament and wondered what the Taliban and the Mullahs would have to say to the end of the match hugs and kisses that Sania was sharing with her male partner and fellow competitors, not to mention the short skirts. Thank God there is no Fatwa against her. Or is there?