IT IS undoubtedly a fairytale story--Sania Mirza's arrival on the international tennis scene and her meteroric rise.

When her builder father, Imran, gave her the racquet at the age of six, he wouldn't have dreamt that his daughter would become the biggest female star in Indian sports.

It took just a little more than a decade. The 5'7" Hyderabadi lass now has 12 ITF and one WTA tournaments under her belt.

Not only she is the winner of girls' wimbledon doubles but has beaten a top ten player and stormed into the third round of Australian Open where she battled with Serena Williams.

And success has not gone to her head. She takes it in her stride as if she was always ready for the 'arrival'. What is more important is that she is already a superstar and a female icon in India.

After PT Usha and Malleswari, Sania Mirza's success has once again brought focus back to sports other than cricket in this country and is a great inspiration for millions of girls.