Sania Mirza shouldn’t be apologetic for being one in every of a form. Just a few folks selected to name her a trailblazer whereas some labelled her a insurgent. She says she is none and simply lived life “on her personal phrases”. Splashed with mind-blowing success and achievements that no Indian feminine tennis participant may take pleasure in and that are unlikely to be emulated within the imminent future, Sania has lived an inspiring life. Throughout a free-wheeling chat at her villa in Dubai, Sania implored the society to simply accept variations in opinion and never model as “villain or heroes” the individuals who dare to do issues in their very own approach.

“I do not assume that I broke the principles. Who’re these people who find themselves making these guidelines and who’re these people who find themselves saying that is the norm and that is the stereotype.

“I believe every particular person is totally different and every particular person ought to have the liberty to be totally different,” Sania informed PTI in an unique interview, earlier than bidding adieu to her tennis profession.

The 36-year-old Indian added, “I believe that is the place as a society we will most likely do higher, just a little bit the place we are attempting to hail folks or make folks the unhealthy guys simply because they’re doing one thing in another way.

“And I do not essentially assume that I used to be some sort of an excellent rule-breaker or some trendsetter. That is not what I used to be attempting to do. I used to be dwelling my life.

“All of us say issues in another way, all of us have totally different opinions. I believe as soon as all of us settle for that we’re all totally different, and we will co-exist with these variations is when it won’t be about breaking the principles anymore.” Holder of six Grand Slam doubles titles and a year-end WTA Championships trophy to go along with a career-best singles rank of 27, if Sania shouldn’t be a trend-setter then what’s she? “I do take a look at myself as attempting to be as genuine as doable. That is what I’ve tried to do. I’ve tried to remain true to myself. And I’ve tried to reside life by myself phrases.

“I believe everyone ought to have the ability to do this and have the liberty to try this with out being informed that you’re breaking the principles since you are doing one thing that you just wish to do,” she mentioned.

“That’s one thing I take a whole lot of delight in as a result of I believe that it is not that I used to be essentially totally different. I may need been totally different to you, however that does not imply that I’m somebody who’s a insurgent, or somebody who’s breaking some sort of guidelines.

“It is simply my individuality and one other individual’s individuality.” Quite a bit has modified in Indian sport in the previous couple of years, however within the not too distant previous, girls athletes struggled for acceptance and recognition, and weren’t even thought of worthy of pursuing a profession in sport.

And if one was from a Muslim household, it was harder.

There are Muslim girls wrestlers who battle outdoors the mat simply to have the ability to pursue their ardour.

Within the case of Sania, she was lucky that her mother and father shielded her from unfavorable feedback which may have affected her morale, and let her observe her tennis goals.

They managed to strike a tremendous stability the place she may pursue tennis with out hurting non secular sentiments. She, largely, had her legs and arms coated whereas taking part in.

Supporting girls athletes

Sania says not supporting girls athletes shouldn’t be restricted to simply Muslim households.

“I do not assume it’s only a Muslim group difficulty. We have to get that very straight. It is within the sub-continent itself in any other case if that was the case we might have much more younger girls taking part in from all communities.

“You hear a Mary Kom, saying that they didn’t need her to field. It actually doesn’t should do with a group per se. I got here from a household that was very a lot forward of their instances, that put their younger lady into tennis which was a sport which was unprecedented from Hyderabad after which dreaming of taking part in at Wimbledon, it was not heard of.

“I do not know they (mother and father) felt stress or something however they didn’t make me really feel that stress. They stored me protected, I didn’t actually perceive it a lot till I grew a bit older.

“I did hear the whispers right here and there from aunts and uncles, ‘kaali ho jayegi to kya hoga, shaadi kaise hogi (in case your complexion turns into darkish who’s going to marry you). Such a stuff, each lady will let you know from this aspect of the world.

“A younger girl is taken into account compete solely when she appears good or reasonably appears a sure approach, will get married, have a child. These are the tick marks {that a} lady ought to should change into full.

“One of many causes for my comeback and play as a mom was to indicate you can be a world champion and and nonetheless have a whole life.

“It doesn’t imply that you need to sacrifice some elements of your life. That you would be able to’t be a mom, a spouse or a daughter. You’ll be able to nonetheless do it and be a world champion,” Sania asserted.

What harm her most

If success got here Sania’s approach all through her profession, the controversies too chased her, and plenty of a instances unnecessarily. Requested what harm her probably the most, Sania selected not to return to the disturbing incidents of the previous.

“Truthfully I do not bear in mind. It has been too lengthy. And truthfully it would not hassle me in any respect. I believe that all the things that occurred in my life has made me the person who I’m as we speak and it has made me very robust as a human being internally and it has made my self-belief even stronger.

“My sincere reality is I do not bear in mind. I’ve an excellent capacity to omit a whole lot of unhealthy in my life. It’s not one thing that’s related in my life, it is not bringing me any positivity,” she mentioned

(This story has not been edited by NDTV workers and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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