Sania Mirza is just not apologetic for being one among 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 own terms”. Splashed with mind-blowing success and achievements that no Indian feminine tennis participant may get pleasure from and that are unlikely to be emulated within the imminent future, Sania has lived an inspiring life. During 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 means.

“I don’t think that I broke the rules. Who are these people who are making these rules and who are these people who are saying this is the norm and this 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 told PTI in an exclusive interview, before bidding adieu to her tennis career.

The 36-year-old Indian added, “I believe that is the place as a society we will in all probability do higher, a little bit 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 don’t necessarily think that I was some kind of a great rule-breaker or some trendsetter. That’s not what I was trying to do. I was living my life.

“We all 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 foundations anymore.” Holder of six Grand Slam doubles titles and a year-end WTA Championships trophy to go with a career-best singles rank of 27, if Sania is not a trend-setter then what is she? “I do take a look at myself as making an attempt to be as genuine as attainable. That’s what I’ve tried to do. I’ve tried to remain true to myself. And I’ve tried to dwell life alone phrases.

“I think everybody should be able to do that and have the freedom to do that without being told that you are breaking the rules because you are doing something that you want to do,” she mentioned.

“That is something I take a lot of pride in because I think that it’s not that I was necessarily different. I might have been different to you, but that doesn’t mean that I am someone who is a rebel, or someone who is breaking some kind of rules.

“It’s simply my individuality and one other individual’s individuality.” A lot has changed in Indian sport in the last few years, but in the not too distant past, women athletes struggled for acceptance and recognition, and were not even considered worthy of pursuing a career in sport.

And if one was from a Muslim family, it was more difficult.

There are Muslim women wrestlers who battle outside the mat just to be able to pursue their passion.

In the case of Sania, she was fortunate that her parents shielded her from negative comments which could have affected her morale, and let her follow her tennis dreams.

They managed to strike a fine balance where she could pursue tennis without hurting religious sentiments. She, mostly, had her arms and legs covered while playing.

Supporting women athletes

Sania says not supporting women athletes is not restricted to just Muslim families.

“I do not suppose it’s only a Muslim neighborhood situation. We must get that very straight. It’s within the sub-continent itself in any other case if that was the case we might have much more younger ladies taking part in from all communities.

“You hear a Mary Kom, saying that they did not want her to box. It really does not have to do with a community per se. I came from a family that was very much ahead of their times, that put their young girl into tennis which was a sport which was unheard of from Hyderabad and then dreaming of playing at Wimbledon, it was not heard of.

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

“I did hear the whispers here and there from aunts and uncles, ‘kaali ho jayegi to kya hoga, shaadi kaise hogi (if your complexion becomes dark who is going to marry you). This type of stuff, every girl will tell you from this side of the world.

“A younger lady is taken into account compete solely when she seems good or somewhat seems a sure means, will get married, have a child. These are the tick marks {that a} woman ought to should turn out to be full.

“One of the reasons for my comeback and play as a mother was to show that you can be a world champion and and still have a complete life.

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

What hurt her most

If success came Sania’s way throughout her career, the controversies too chased her, and many a times unnecessarily. Asked what hurt her the most, Sania chose not to go back to the disturbing incidents of the past.

“Honestly I do not bear in mind. It’s been too lengthy. And actually it does not hassle me in any respect. I believe that every little thing that occurred in my life has made me the person who I’m right this moment and it has made me very sturdy as a human being internally and it has made my self-belief even stronger.

“My honest truth is I don’t remember. I have a great ability to omit a lot of bad in my life. It is not something that is relevant in my life, it’s 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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