Sania, Shoaib set for mixed doubles (Spl.Photos)

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Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza is all set to enter into wedlock with Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik in April, two months after she broke her engagement with childhood friend Sohrab Mirza.

The media went abuzz with reports of their engagement. However, later Sania's family said there will be no engagement prior to the wedding.

Incidentally, Shoaib was earlier alleged to have married another Hyderabad girl, Ayesha Siddiqui, in 2002 over the phone, even though the cricketer said he was merely engaged to her. He was also linked with Bollywood actress Sayali Bhagat.

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Shoaib Malik also confirmed the news of their marriage on his twitter account. "Thanks for all your support. And the news of me marrying to Sania is true. Inshallah will get married in April," he tweeted.

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According to Sania's family sources there will be no engagement before the wedding.

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A statement by Sania's father Imran Mirza also stated that 23-year-old Sania and the 28-year-old all-rounder will be based in Dubai, where Malik is a resident.

"This is a unique case where the husband and wife will represent their respective countries in sport," said Mirza in Hyderabad.

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It was Shoaib's mother who had met Sania's parents in India and accepted her as future daughter-in-law, according to Malik's brother-in-law.

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The entire Malik family will leave for India on April 7 and formal Nikaah ceremony will take place on April 10 or 11.

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The 'Walima' or reception is expected to be held in Lahore on April 16 or 17.

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Sania and Shoaib reportedly fell in love some six-and-half months ago and it could be the reason for the breaking up of Sania's engagement with Sohrab Mirza.

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Sania had got engaged to Sohrab in 2009 July, but they called it off in January this year. Reason for the decision was not disclosed by either of the two families. Though Sania had said, "We were friends for years but found ourselves incompatible as fiances".

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Sania, the first Indian woman tennis player to break in to top 50 in the WTA rankings, was also linked to Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan in 2005 and later Bollywood heartthrob Shahid Kapoor. However, nothing was ever confirmed.

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Sania's brush with controversies is not unknown. There were fatwas against her for wearing short skirts on the court. She was also criticized once for showing disrespect to the national flag. Following that row, she had even considered to quit.

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However, none of the controversies or the string of injuries ever deterred her from giving her best to the sport.

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Born to a sports journalist, Imran Mirza and her mother Nasima in Mumbai, Sania was brought up in Hyderabad. Sania started playing tennis at the age of six under the guidance of her father.

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Sania made her debut in 2003 in the India Fed Cup team, winning all three singles matches. She also won the 2003 Wimbledon Championships Girls' Doubles title, teaming up with Alisa Kleybanova of Russia.

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In 2005, she became the first Indian player to reach the fourth round of the US Open Championship.

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She is the highest ranked female tennis player ever from India, with a career high ranking of 27 in singles and 18 in doubles. She holds the distinction of being the first Indian woman to be seeded in a Grand Slam tennis tournament.

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In 2006, Sania drew applause from everyone after she defeated one-time champion Martina Hingis. Her first WTA title came in 2005 when she defeated Ukraine's Alyona Bondarenko in the Hyderabad Open Finals.

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In the 2006 Doha games Sania won a Gold in mixed doubles along with veteran Leander Paes. She also won Silver in the women's singles game.

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The 22-year-old was conferred n honorary degree of Doctor of Letters from MGR Educational and Research Institute University in Chennai in 2008.

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In 2009, Sania won the US Open Mixed Doubles title with Mahesh Bhupathi.

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Sania's to be partner Shoaib Malik is no small name in the world of sports. The former Pakistan captain is known for his exceptional all-round s****s.