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Sania Mirza: Six-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one doubles player Sania Mirza has officially announced the launch of a new initiative titled The Next Set, designed to support India’s leading and emerging women athletes. The programme has been created with the intention of giving back to professional sport by strengthening the overall ecosystem that surrounds women athletes who are already competing at an elite level.

The initiative is rooted in the belief that talent alone is not enough to succeed at the international stage. Athletes often require consistent guidance, expert support, and structured planning to manage the intense physical and mental demands of professional competition. The Next Set aims to bridge this gap by providing long-term, practical assistance rather than short-term interventions.

Vision Behind The Next Set Initiative

The core vision of The Next Set is to help women athletes sustain high performance while preparing them for the realities of professional sport. The programme focuses on athletes who have already demonstrated competitive potential and are seeking to progress further in their careers. By addressing gaps in preparation, recovery, and planning, the initiative seeks to create a more stable pathway for success.

Sania Mirza’s own journey through international tennis has played a major role in shaping this vision. Having experienced both success and setbacks, she understands the importance of timely mentorship and dependable support systems during crucial stages of an athlete’s career.

Tennis as the Starting Point

The initiative will begin with tennis as its primary sport. This choice reflects Mirza’s deep connection to the game and her desire to strengthen the foundation of women’s tennis in India. The programme follows a two-pronged approach that combines continuous support with targeted skill development.

The first focus area is the creation of a dedicated support system for selected athletes. This includes access to professional coaches, physiotherapists, and fitness trainers who can travel with players during tournaments. Such continuity allows athletes to maintain consistency in training, recovery, and performance throughout the year.

Building Consistency Through Professional Support

One of the major challenges faced by many athletes is the lack of coordinated support while competing across different locations. The Next Set addresses this issue by ensuring that athletes are accompanied by trusted professionals who understand their physical condition, playing style, and long-term goals.

This model helps reduce injuries, improves recovery time, and allows athletes to focus entirely on performance rather than logistical concerns. Consistent guidance also enables better decision-making during competitions, which can be crucial at the highest levels of sport.

Focused Camps and Coaching Clinics

The second component of the initiative involves focused tennis camps and coaching clinics led directly by Sania Mirza. These sessions are designed to address all major aspects of athlete development. Technical refinement, tactical awareness, physical conditioning, and mental resilience form the foundation of these training programmes.

The camps aim to create an environment where athletes can learn from real-world experience and gain insights that are often not available through regular training setups. Emphasis is placed on preparing athletes for international competition, where adaptability and mental strength are as important as skill.

Creating Pathways for the Next Generation

Speaking about the initiative, Mirza highlighted its personal significance and long-term goals. She emphasized that the right guidance at the right time can be transformative for an athlete’s career. According to her, Indian women’s tennis has a strong pool of talent that can achieve greater success with structured support systems in place.

The Next Set represents an effort to create stronger, more reliable pathways for the next generation of women athletes. By combining mentorship, professional expertise, and consistent planning, the initiative seeks to help Indian athletes set higher goals and compete more confidently on the global stage.