Singh's helping hand to Mirza

HONG KONG // Sania Mirza is on the comeback trail after a doctor suggested by the India cricketer Yuvraj Singh helped heal the wrist injury that cut her season short last year. The 22-year-old Mirza, who became a star in India after reaching the US Open fourth round in 2005, pulled out of the first round of the Beijing Olympics in August and missed the rest of the season because of the injury. Her ranking dropped to No 100.

She said she wasn't sure what was wrong with her right wrist after returning to India from the Olympics - until Singh called with the recommendation. "I went to see the doctor and after about five days, the pain in my wrist - I was not able to hold a spoon properly - had suddenly gone. I had complete range of movement back and everything. About two weeks later I was playing tennis again," Mirza said, adding that her wrist has felt healthy for the past several months.

She said the doctor practised Korean-style physical therapy. Mirza was speaking ahead of the Jan 7-10 team-format exhibition tournament in Hong Kong, which also includes world No 1 Jelena Jankovic, seven-time grand slam champion Venus Williams and Vera Zvonareva among others. *AP