Sep 15 (Mid-day): Sania Mirza attacks critics after partnering Martina Hingis to the US Open doubles crown

Sania Mirza launched a mighty rocket, targeting the media yesterday, a day after clinching the US Open doubles crown with Switzerland's Martina Hingis.

The Indian tennis star, who won the Wimbledon doubles title with Hingis earlier this year, told NDTV: "All I know is that I've helped a lot of people sell their newspapers and get TRPs up over my career.

I am glad that people have got me so much of publicity out of absolutely no issues. I play tennis and I try and win. I play for myself and my country and for my family. I don't get into who says what, I just answer with my racquet. I just play and that gives me the most joy."

Mirza- Hingis waltzed to an easy 6-3, 6-3 victory over Casey Dellacqua and Yaroslava Shvedova in New York.

Sania has often been targetted for marrying Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. Last July, a politician caused a huge uproar when he opposed the Telangana government's decision to appoint Sania as brand ambassador of the new state. He called her a daughter-in-law of Pakistan since she is Malik's wife.

More recently, there was opposition to her getting the Khel Ratna award which she received before heading to New York for the US Open.

'It's been a great year'

"It has been a great year for us. To win Wimbledon was great. Then, to come back and back it up to win the US Open, we feel like we're a really solid team. And we came through again today," Sania said in her post-match interview on Sunday.

Hingis is clearly the best thing that has happened to Sania's tennis. And no praise can be high for the 34-year-old ace, who also won the mixed doubles title alongside Leander Paes. Sunday's doubles title was Hingis' 11th career Grand Slam doubles title.