Broken service, broken heart

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Just the other day, a colleague suggested to me to write a piece or rather an epitaph of Sania Mirza's tennis journey. After all, the lass from Hyderabad was all set to quit the game after tying the knot. But Wednesday's development means that piece will have to wait.

While the earlier story would have been dotted with episodes of broken services, this one surely is about a broken heart. In fact, even before Mohammad Sohrab and Sania were engaged, there were questions asked whether he could cope with the life of a popular athlete.

While changing partners on the court may be a done thing, it's not the easiest to do off the court. You can't put your career on hold if your partner is injured or unable to carry on with you. Some of the best on-court partnerships have wilted under pressures of the ego and barring maybe siblings, most have found the going tough in the long run.

But the demands of an off-court partnership means having to step back for the other and to carry the other along. Even the most celebrated on-court couple Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf came together on court only after their off-court partnership.

Sania's year has not started on the best note. She crashed out of the Australian Open singles round and her dreams of retaining the Australian Open mixed doubles crown were also dashed when partner Mahesh Bhupathi pulled out with an injury.

But nothing must have hurt her more than the broken engagement. What has been heartening to see is the calm and composure she has exhibited during this time. Sania will now have to focus back on tennis and hope that she finds comfort there.

The heart may be broken, but hopefully she'll hold the serve.