In less than 24 hours, India's mixed doubles duo of Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza lost two close encounters to miss the Bronze medal at the Rio Olympics 2016 by a whisker. A third-placed match loss to Czech pair of Lucie Hradecka/Radek Stepanek 1-6, 5-7 saw Sania break down emotionally, hinting that Rio could be her last Olympics.
She said, "I don’t think I know anything right now, four years is a long time and there could be a chance that I won't be playing tennis then, so cannot think with the Olympics in mind. We didn't do the things we do well and this is the result. Cincinnati is coming and I have to concentrate on that."
Bopanna was unhappy with the team's performance stating that crucial points in the match cost them. He added, "The first break in the first set cost us, we played well the second set. It’s very difficult for me to even state what I'll do next. We are very disappointed the way it turned out. But as athletes, we must come back and do even better."
Sania added, “You know it's hard, it's very hard to digest something like this. An athlete gets one chance in four years to win, to come so close and lose is humbling. It will be very hard for me to focus now, but I will get back. This ranks up there as one of the most disappointing losses of my life".
Sania is now looking forward to the Cincinnati masters next week, and Rohan will fly back to India tomorrow.
