Actor and brand ambassador of the forthcoming Sunfeast Tennis tournament Shah Rukh Khan speaks as tennis player Sania Mirza listens during the unveiling of the Sunfeast Open 2007 trophy, ‘Oil on Canvas’ painting, in Mumbai.

Will Sania Mirza play in the Sunfeast Open in Kolkata next week? Or won’t she?

These are questions that will haunt the minds of tennis aficionados for the next few days even as uncertainties remain over the 20-year-old’s participation.

Sania herself was non-committal when asked the question at the function to launch the trophy that will be presented to the winner of the third edition of the Tier III event.

The organisers of the Sunfeast Open are willing to accommodate a late start to give Sania Mirza enough time to regain maximum fitness in the upcoming tier III WTA event.

Sania has so far said nothing about the possibility of her pulling out, but a reference to an injury on her wrist is making everyone related to the event extra cautious.

Mahesh Bhupathi, managing director of the event’s promoter Globosport, said Sania would certainly be travelling to the venue, where the real extent of her injury will be ascertained. The tournament director Jaidip Mukerjea said if required Sania’s first round match may be slotted at the later part of the fixture to allow her extra time “to get to the best of her fitness.”

“I have heard that she has an injury about but at this moment I do not know the extent of it,” Bhupathi, who is currently in China, said.

“She is eager to play and will wait till the start of the match before making any decision on pulling out,” he added.

Bhupathi said there is nothing to indicate that Sania would not be participating in Sunfeast Open, which will be held here at the Netaji Indoor Stadium from September 17 to 23.

The tournament director said that Sania is scheduled to arrive on Saturday.

“I have heard from various sources that her injury is not that serious,” Mukerjea said.

“All the signals that I have been receiving so far from her end are positive about her participation,” he added.

He said if it is felt that the player needs some extra rest her match can be slotted on Wednesday (September 19), which is supposed to have the last few matches of the first round.