Hard to stay away from son at Olympics: Sania

Sania Mirza (left) with doubles partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands and son Izhaan at Wimbledon yesterday

Sania Mirza will become the first Indian woman to compete in four Olympic Games but she admitted on Thursday it will be "difficult" to be separated from her young son while she is in Tokyo.

Family members are banned from going to this month's Games as Japanese authorities aim to reduce the risk from Covid-19 as much as possible.

For Mirza, 34, that means Izhaan, her son with husband and former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, will stay with family while she is in Tokyo. "We are in difficult times and we have to make difficult decisions," said Mirza.

"But never in my mind did I have any doubts about going. I was very sure."

Back with a bang

Mirza marked her return to Wimbledon for the first time since 2017 on Thursday as she and Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated sixth seeds Alexa Guarachi and Desirae Krawczyk 7-5, 6-3 in the women's doubles. Mirza was doubles champion alongside Martina Hingis at Wimbledon in 2015, following it up with a second Slam at the US Open two months later.

Izhaan, who will only turn three in October this year, sat by his mother at a press conference at Wimbledon on Thursday. "Leaving him at any time is difficult. I try to do it as little as possible," she said.

"But if it's something I have to do, then that's what I will do. As working mothers, sometimes you have to do it." Mirza will play doubles in Tokyo with Ankita Raina. "To play four Olympics in a row, I feel really humble and grateful to be in this position to go to Tokyo after having had a baby," she added.

Bopanna-Sharan lose

Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan made an early exit after losing their men's doubles first round 6-7 (6) 4-6 to Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Henri Kontinen. The Indians had paired up to prepare for the Tokyo Games but could not make the cut.

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