The highest ranked Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza has achieved a lot of fame in a very short time. Born in Hyderabad, Sania started playing tennis at the tender age of six and performed her first international tournament in 1999. She had a successful Grand Slam debut at the 2005 US Open and created history by becoming the first Indian woman to reach the third round. The brand ambassador of Lotto Sports Italia and Malabar Gold, she is ranked among the top 50 world tennis players and has been honoured with the prestigious Arjuna award for the year 2004. Her powerful forehand strokes, confidence and positive attitude combined with good looks and charm have floored Indians and attracted sponsors in hordes.