It was a dream-come-true for school children in Calcutta as Sania Mirza went over to two city schools to hand over the prizes to the top-five participants in the Sunfeast Open Trophy Design Contest.

Ballygunge Shiksha Sadan was her first stop where the school choir welcomed her with a song ? ‘Sania, Sania, Sania, you’ve taken the world by storm in a year’.

She handed over the prizes ? tickets for the Sunfeast Open ? to the top five.

“It’s great to see this enthusiasm for tennis,” she told the excited girls in the school auditorium packed to capacity. I’m sure in the days to come, you will better Sania is different fields.”

The next stop was Carmel Convent School, the agenda being the same ? to distribute tickets as rewards to the top five from the school.

“Calcutta is like a second home to me,” she said amid cheers, “And I hope I will be with you right through the week.”

Empty stands

On the opening day of the Sunfeast Open, the stands were more than half empty. An unusual situation in a sports-crazy city. However, with both star attractions ? Sania Mirza in singles and Anastasia Myskina in doubles ? playing on Tuesday, the organisers hope that crowds will throng the auditorium and the city will live up to its reputation.

A different ball game

Shweta Bhupathi, wife of nine-time Grand Slam champion Mahesh, was a leading model who opted to join her husband in his sport and event management company, Globosport.

It was a challenge, a completely new field to her, but she has succeeded and is enjoying it too. Her MBA degree is obviously of big help.

And what are her views on Mahesh the person? “For all his achievements, he is a very humble person,” says Shweta.

“Very fun-loving too, who makes me laugh a lot.”