Sania to retain her maiden name

Newly wed tennis star Sania Mirza has said she will retain her maiden name and play for another three to four years.

In an interview to People magazine along with husband and former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, Sania said, "no matter what happens I am always going to be Sania Mirza. May later I'll add his name (sic)."

She said they have chosen Palm Jumeirah in Dubai as their new residence.

"My husband wants to live in Palm Jumeirah and I am not fussy, so that's where we live," says Sania.

The couple said their courtship developed over telephone after the first few meetings.

"Suddenly we were constantly texting and then we started talking on the phone for hours. So that's where things started for us," says Sania.

Sania said her mother would keep saying that she was wasting so much money on phone calls. "I would tell her that it's not a waste," the 23-year-old tennis star said.

On the controversy surrounding their marriage, the two of them said it brought them closer together.

"Hats off to my parents who supported Shoaib like they have stood by me even before he became a part of the family. That got us all much closer," said Sania.

Shoaib says he also had full faith in Sania's love. "Sania always knew the truth so I was very confident. We were together and surrounded by people who loved and supported us."

First Published: Apr 23, 2010 09:55 IST