The Paper Trail

She won8217;t cower at the challenge
It remains to be seen whether Mirza, whose ranking jumped from No. 206 to No. 42, can outhit or outthink Sharapova. But one thing is certain: She won8217;t cower at the challenge. This is a girl who showed up at a Wimbledon news conference in a T-shirt that read: 8216;8216;Well-behaved women rarely make history.8217;8217;
Michelle Kaufman/The Miami Herald

Her game, interviews, suggest that she8217;s got spunk
Her straight-set victory, Sania Mirza earned a fourth-round meeting with Maria Sharapova and no doubt added to the frenzy already rampant back home over her achievements. Based on her hard-slugging game, blunt interviews and sassy T-shirts, there8217;s nothing to suggest that the plucky Mirza will be rattled by the big stage.
Liz Clarke/The Washington Post

A Williams-ish parallel
Sania Mirza grew up in an environment that was similar, at least in terms of tennis facilities, to the Williams sisters8217;. 8216;8216;When you come out from a country like India or one of those countries, it8217;s obviously much tougher for you8217;8217;, Mirza said.
Liz Robbins/New York Times

She may someday steal Maria8217;s mantle
Sharapova, the tall Russian with tremendous Q-quality, will meet a personality laden 19-year-old who may someday steal her mantle in the form of Sania Mirza.
Matt Cronin/usopen.com