Sania Mirza is the most successful female Indian tennis player of all time and one of the highest-paid and well recognised sportsperson in the country.

Mirza is currently ranked world No1 in women’s doubles and from 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, was India’s No1 player in singles and doubles.

She had a decent singles career with wins over former world No1s Martina Hingis, Dinara Safina and Victoria Azarenka. She reached her highest world ranking at No27 before a major wrist injury forced her to give up her singles career and focus on doubles.

Mirza, who turns 29 today, has won five grand slam titles – two in women’s doubles and three in mixed doubles.

This year has been exceptionally good for Mirza. She teamed up with Hingis and won an incredible nine titles in 2015, including the Wimbledon, US Open and WTA Finals.

1970: Patrick M’Boma, retired Cameroonian footballer and former all-time top goal-scorer for his country (45).

1979: Brett Lancaster, racing cyclist from Australia, currently riding for UCI ProTeam (36).

1981: Lorena Ochoa, Mexican golfer who was the top-ranked female golfer for over three years (34).

1983: Fernando Verdasco, Spanish tennis player who reached a career-high singles ranking of No7 (32).