Hyderabad: Hyderabad erupted in celebrations as local ace tennis player Sania Mirza put up a stunning performance by winning Wimbledon doubles title along with Swiss player Martina Hingis.

Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh K Chandrasekhar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu led in hailing the achievement of 28-year-old Sania who has become the first Indian to win the grand slam doubles title.

“By winning International tournaments, Hyderabadi girls have become a role model for everyone and inspiration to girls”, said Telangana Chief Minister KCR, who had appointed Sania the Brand Ambassador of the newly-formed state last year and paid her Rs1 crore (Dh579,000) for higher levels of international trainings.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu took to the micro blogging site Twitter to congratulate Sania. “You’ve made India proud”, he tweeted.

As social media was flooded by greetings and congratulatory messages for Sania, right from President Pranab Mukherji and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to celebrities from sports and films, people in Hyderabad were also elated over Sania scaling new heights in her success.

A large number of people gathered at Sania’s home in the posh Jubilee Hills and congratulated her family over the historic win.

Ever since the Sania-Hingis pair had entered the Wimbledon doubles final, there was an air of excitement and expectancy in the city that Sania would add another feather to her cap.

“It is a moment of pride both as an Indian and as a Hyderabadi”, said Yusuf Quadri, a tennis enthusiast. “I am sure Hyderabad will give her a memorable welcome when she returns home with the trophy”.

“We are all so happy and excited that our girl has done it. We can proudly say we belong to the city of Hyderabad, the city of Charminar and the city of Sania Mirza”, said Roshni, a teenager and keen follower of the game. “We were all glued to the TV to cheer her and see her winning”

Sania, born and brought up in Hyderabad, enjoys an iconic status in her home city. Her father Imran Mirza was emotional over the win. “I am very happy and feeling on cloud nine. This is a Ramadan gift”, he said. Sania told an Indian TV channel: “This is the best tennis I have ever played”.

Interestingly her grand slam win coincided with her Pakistani cricket husband Shoaib Malek scoring half a century against Sri Lanka.