Sachin Tendulkar's No. 1 sportsperson for me: Sania

New Delhi: There was little to cheer for in 2008 for Sania Mirza. A wrist injury saw her miss a number of tournaments and her ranking fell out of the top 100. But Sania has recovered and is getting ready for the Australian Open. She spoke to CNN-IBN about being conferred with a 'Doctor of Letters' (Honoris Causa) by the MGR Educational and Research Institute University in Chennai, Sachin Tendulkar and her comeback plans.

On Dr Sania Mirza

I am okay with Miss Mirza but if they want to call me doctor that’s fine. It was completely unexpected. I always wanted to be a doctor. I had to choose between becoming a doctor and a tennis player. I choose tennis but destiny is such that now I am a doctor.

On being the most googled Indian sportsperson

In India if I am the No.1 sportsperson to be googled then its greats because cricket has been a religion in India and the fact that I am No. 1 proves that people are interested in tennis as well now. I hope that I can keep the interest alive and I am honoured that people want to know so much more about me.

On being more popular than Sachin Tendulkar

I don’t know about the rest of India but for me Sachin is always No. 1 and he is above me in my eyes. But I think we are not here to compete against anyone and any sport. I think we are all there and it is just a curiosity factor which is more. Maybe there is more curiosity because I have come in more recently.

On status of her wrist injury

I am fine. I have been working out and we have been in Bangalore for the last couple of weeks. It’s been more than two weeks now and we have been working really, really hard. We have been almost punishing our body everyday so it’s been good. I am feeling great and my wrist is good. Insha Allah I hope to come back in Australia and I can’t wait to compete again.

On being ready for circuit

Well I think it is going to be a process. Everything is a process whether it is winning matches again. To me the most important thing right now is to try and stay healthy, to try and just get some matches under my belt and try and get that feeling of winning again, to try and get that feeling of competing again. I think that’s the feeling that I have missed a lot in the last few months and I am just looking forward to that. Of course no one goes in and suddenly starts winning tournaments. Neither do I expect that of myself. But slowly and steadily I think it will happen.