(MENAFN- Khaleej Times)
For former world tennis champion Sania Mirza, the Sport is much more than just a game; it is something she feels incomplete without.
While speaking on the second day of the Sharjah Entrepreneurship Festival 2025, Mirza said tennis taught her a lot in terms of winning and losing, and how to come back after a loss.
“It gave me a sense of discipline, and made me a committed person. Tennis is much more than a game or sport for me. I feel that I would be so incomplete ... I can't imagine what I would do if I didn't play tennis. I just can't imagine being anything else," said the Indian athlete, who is a Dubai resident now.
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"I would not say tennis is everything to me, but it means a lot to me,” she added.
"Dubai has always been a second home to me and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship was that place where a lot of things changed for me. Whether we like tennis or not, we need to encourage sport, especially in the UAE.”
The former world champion is still connected with the game through regular appearances on television programmes.“I can't imagine tennis not being a part of my life, one way or the other.”
'People thought it was a joke'
Mirza started playing tennis at the young age of 6.
“When I started 30 years ago, we just had a history of cricketers in my city, Hyderabad. When a girl said to her parents that she wanted to play at Wimbledon, people thought it was a joke, and crazy to have a dream like that."
Those are the moments to believe in yourself and challenge the odds that you are facing. And I was facing a billion odds because it had never been done before by a young girl."
However, her family and the people around her believed in the dreams, Mirza said.
"No matter what others say, if you put your heart and soul into it, then you'll win. Nothing is impossible sounds like a very written-in-a book-kind of line. But it is a fact that you have to do everything in your power to give yourself the opportunity to succeed, no matter what you do.”
Injuries take an emotional toll
She stressed that challenge is part and parcel of life, and the ones who overcome them are the ones who succeed.
“I feel that with anything you do in life – especially what you do for the first time, because there is no path to follow; when you come through a challenge, you shine. Challenges are something that you have to take head-on.”
Mirza underwent three surgeries during her career which spanned over two decades.
“Injuries are part and parcel of an athlete's life. You have to accept that those injuries can give you setbacks and you have to work hard and come back. People think that coming back from physical injuries is hard. But it is harder emotionally and mentally."
Mirza revealed how her wrist injury during the Olympics affected her. While she thought she would never be able to play tennis and represent her country again, she ended up playing in the next three Olympic tournaments.
"It was about overcoming those setbacks and having the right people around me. It took me two years and I had to modify a few things, but I came back. You just have to keep evolving,” she added.
Mirza stressed that there is an increased discussion about mental issues that players face amid growing awareness, as compared to a few years ago.
“When I was growing up, there was no discussion or talk about emotional and mental health. You travel 30 weeks a year and stay away from your family and friends. You are competing every single day."
We are living in a bubble of constantly wanting to win, which takes a severe toll on your mind. If you don't win, which happens a lot, it can mess up your head,” she added.
Athletes are not robots; they feel pain too, Mirza stressed. Emotions and pressure are real feelings that must be accepted, and athletes must take the help of professionals when needed, she added.
“Mentally, it is a very challenging profession to be in. Every profession is, but sports is a very lonely profession in general. When you come back and lose a match or a final of a Grand Slam, you come back to an empty hotel room, and it feels like you're alone in the entire world."
Mirza broke her racket twice in her two decades of professional career due to frustration after losing the game.
“I was one of the people who broke the racket. Everybody is frustrated, but everyone has a different way of showing frustration. In my 20-year career, I have broken 2 rackets, one every decade. Some people take their anger out and feel better after they smash a racket. In all honesty, smashing a racket is a small amount to pay for the amount of sacrifice and effort that go in. I don't mind once in a while, but it is not my style.”
Sania Mirza also spoke about her son Izhaan Mirza Malik's love and passion for sports.
“One of the reasons for retirement was to spend more time with my son. He loves football way more than tennis. I don't blame him. He lives in Dubai. He is a Dubai boy. He is obsessed with football and Ronaldo,” she said.
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