<p>Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was on Wednesday included in the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), four years after she opted out of the programme.</p>.<p>Sania was selected in the TOPS during the 56th meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell.</p>.<p>The 34-year-old multiple Grand Slam winner had opted out of the scheme when she was selected last in 2017 because of an injury breakdown which had led to a lay-off.</p>.<p>"Yes, Sania has been selected in the recent TOPS list," a Sports Authority of India source told PTI.</p>.<p>Sania has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics based on her protected ranking before she took a break from the game due to pregnancy.</p>.<p>Sania is currently ranked 157th in the world but as per WTA rules when a player takes a lay-off from the game longer than six months on account of injuries or pregnancy, they can apply for a "special ranking" (also sometimes known as a "protected ranking").</p>.<p>The special ranking of a player is their world ranking after the last tournament they played and in Sania's case, it was the China Open in October 2017. She was ranked world No. 9 at that point.</p>.<p>So, Sania currently has a special ranking of 9th and has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.</p>.<p>The special rankings were introduced by WTA because of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>Sania was inactive for two years due to pregnancy and only made her return to the court last year following the birth of her son at the season-opening Hobart International WTA event.</p>.<p>She partnered Ukrainian Nadiia Kichenok to win the women's doubles title. </p>
<p>Indian tennis star Sania Mirza was on Wednesday included in the government's Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS), four years after she opted out of the programme.</p>.<p>Sania was selected in the TOPS during the 56th meeting of the Mission Olympic Cell.</p>.<p>The 34-year-old multiple Grand Slam winner had opted out of the scheme when she was selected last in 2017 because of an injury breakdown which had led to a lay-off.</p>.<p>"Yes, Sania has been selected in the recent TOPS list," a Sports Authority of India source told PTI.</p>.<p>Sania has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics based on her protected ranking before she took a break from the game due to pregnancy.</p>.<p>Sania is currently ranked 157th in the world but as per WTA rules when a player takes a lay-off from the game longer than six months on account of injuries or pregnancy, they can apply for a "special ranking" (also sometimes known as a "protected ranking").</p>.<p>The special ranking of a player is their world ranking after the last tournament they played and in Sania's case, it was the China Open in October 2017. She was ranked world No. 9 at that point.</p>.<p>So, Sania currently has a special ranking of 9th and has already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.</p>.<p>The special rankings were introduced by WTA because of the Covid-19 pandemic.</p>.<p>Sania was inactive for two years due to pregnancy and only made her return to the court last year following the birth of her son at the season-opening Hobart International WTA event.</p>.<p>She partnered Ukrainian Nadiia Kichenok to win the women's doubles title. </p>