IANS

Kolkata, Aug 9: Doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi on Wednesday said Sania Mirza's win over Martina Hingis in East West Bank Classic tennis tournament was no surprise and that she was capable of much more.

Talking to the media on phone from Canada, on the occasion of the announcement of marquee players for Sunfeast Open, Bhupathi said: "To tell you the truth, I am not surprised or shocked. I always knew she was capable of making it big.

"She is on a roll now and will climb greater heights. She has always been an exciting prospect and is playing close to her potential now," he added.

Sania, ranked 30 in the women's rankings, ended a 20-year drought to become the first Indian to reach the top 30 in world tennis rankings since Ramesh Krishnan was ranked 23rd in 1987.

"She will be a special attraction in the Sunfeast Open," Bhupathi said, referring to the 20-year-old from Hyderabad.

"This is the biggest Sunfeast Open with a mixture of glamour and talent. We have tried to put together some of the finest names in tennis. Danilela Hantuchova, Maria Krilenko and Marion Bartolli are some of the biggest names along with Sania Mirza," he added.

Asked about his own future engagements, he said: "Next, I will play in Cincinatti."

Bhupathi, who is ranked 21 in doubles, will partner Scottish Jamie Murray of Britain (ranked 30), while he partners Pavel Vizner of Czech Republic (ranked 16) in the Montreal Masters, where the pair are already in the third round with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia and Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.