Imran knows, though, that even as a child his daughter was strong-willed. “She hates to lose, she’s always been a very tough kid,” he said, after she emerged from the brink of defeat to win the match. “She brings out her best when she’s close to losing. That’s when she really lifts her game.”

What also helps her game is the presence of vociferous fans, mostly Indian but as evident this year at the Australian Open, extending sometimes to other nationalities. (During her first round match with Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan, which she won 6-4,6-2, when an Indian teenager began rhythmically chanting “If you all love Sania, clap your hands”, not only did the entire South Asian contingent join in, but so did a few Uzbeks, including, to everyone’s delight, Tulyaganova herself from the court.)

As we sat in the bustle of Melbourne Park after Sania’s crucial second round victory, Imran began talking of her famous match against Svetlana Kuznetsova, currently world no. 2, in Dubai in 2005, and revealed something which I don’t think he has spoken about earlier.

Sania went into the match, which Imran rates as her best ever, with an injury. To make things worse, she twisted her ankle when she was 0-4, 30-40 down in the first set, necessitating a ten-minute stoppage of play. “She was in pain, and after play was stopped she told me she wanted to give up,” said Imran. “A huge crowd had showed up for the match, so I told her, ‘Just finish the set, and then quit.”’

... contd.