Calcutta: Her triumph at the Asian championship fetched Sania Mirza a wild card to play the women?s singles main draw of the Australian Open. Well, there was nothing wild about the performance in her maiden Grand Slam. Even though she is out of the tournament, the whole of India and the rest of the tennis world know how well she used the opportunity.

The accolades are still pouring in but soon it will be time to take stock and plan her steps carefully for the arduous road ahead. Advice has started flowing like water already, most experts agreeing that she needs to work on her serve and movement.

But what does the man who matters most, as far as her training is concerned, think? The Telegraph caught up with her high-profile consultant coach Bob Brett while he was in transit in Paris en route to his academy in San Remo, Italy.

?I am not surprised by her results in Melbourne,? said Brett, who once travelled with Boris Becker (early 90s) and Goran Ivanisevic (mid-90s). ?She?s been to my academy three times in the last 12-13 months, so I know she has a lot of ability.

?Her strength is her groundstrokes? she has a forehand which can be very competitive with the game?s highest level. She also has a very good sense of the game which will help her once she matures further as a player,? Brett observed.

Being on the ATP Players? Council board of directors, Brett was in Australia till Friday to attend a couple of meetings.

?I met her (Sania) early in the week and advised her to rely on strengths and not be afraid to take the chances? didn?t get a chance to speak to her before the Serena Williams match as she was too busy with phone calls from India,? Brett said, laughing.

As for chinks in Sania?s armour, Brett mentioned the service and physical fitness aspects besides pointing out a third factor. ?She needs to develop the ability to finish off points. What is happening now is that she is dictating a rally only to lose the point in the end.?

The top priority for Sania now should be to find the right balance between training and competitive play, said Brett. ?It?s a fine balance, really. She does need to work on her game and at the same time play enough matches. I have seen many young players get the equation wrong.?

Brett also warned her young Indian ward not to fall prey to temptations. ?Now that she has emerged as an exciting new face in women?s tennis, there will be many temptations. She has to judge which ones can harm her career and steer clear of those,? Brett remarked.

The inevitable question was thrown: with the talent she possesses, how far can she go? ?It all depends on her application, her attitude. If she does what needs to be done to develop herself as a player, there?s no limit to where she can reach.

?There?s also the matter of self-belief. If she sees herself to be in the top-10, she can definitely get there.?

Brett did, of course, some external factors which will influence Sania?s progress. ?As with any professional sportsperson, she will need some good fortune in areas like injuries and personal life.?

Finally, did he wish Sania could visit his academy in northern Italy more often? ?Yeah, it will help if she can make some more visits. It will depend on a lot of factors,? Brett signed off hoping to see Sania ?soon? in Italy.