'Each individual should have the freedom to be different' - Sania Mirza

Legendary former Indian tennis star Sania Mirza is not apologetic for being one of a kind. A few people chose to call her a trailblazer, while some labelled her a rebel. She says she is none and just lived "on her terms". Splashed with mind-blowing success and achievements that no Indian female tennis player could enjoy and unlikely to be emulated in the imminent future, Sania has lived an inspiring life.

During a free-wheeling chat at her villa in Dubai, Sania implored society to accept differences in opinion and not brand as "villains or heroes" the people who dare to do things in their way. "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 think each individual is different and should have the freedom to be different," Sania told PTI in an exclusive interview before bidding farewell to her tennis career.

The 36-year-old Indian added, "I think that's where as a society, we can probably do better, a little bit where we are trying to hail people or make people the bad guys just because they are doing something different. And I don't necessarily think I was a great rule-breaker or trendsetter. That's not what I was trying to do. I was living my life."

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"We all say things differently. We all have different opinions. Once we all accept that we are all different and can co-exist with those differences, it will not be about breaking the rules anymore," continued Sania. 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 trendsetter, what is she?

"I look at myself as trying to be as authentic as possible. That's what I've wanted to do. I've tried to stay true to myself. And I have been attempting to live life on my terms. 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 you want to do," she said.

"That is something I take a lot of pride in because it's not that I was necessarily different. I might have been foreign to you, but that doesn't mean I am a rebel or breaking some rules. It's just my and another person's individuality," added Sania. A lot has changed in Indian sports 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.

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And, if one was from a Muslim family, it was more difficult. Some Muslim women wrestlers 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 delicate balance where she could pursue tennis without hurting religious sentiments. She mostly had her arms and legs covered while playing. Sania says not supporting women athletes is not restricted to just Muslim families. "I don't think it is just a Muslim community issue. We need to get that very straight. It would be in the sub-continent itself; otherwise, if that were the case, we would have many more young women playing from all communities," she feels.

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

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"I don't know they [parents] felt pressure or anything, but they did not make me feel that pressure. They kept me protected. I only understood it a little once I grew a bit older. I heard the whispers here and there from aunts and uncles, 'kaali ho jayegi to kya hoga, shaadi kaise hogi [if your complexion becomes dark, who will marry you]," she further stated.

"Every girl will tell you this type of stuff from this side of the world. A young woman is considered to compete only when she looks good or looks a certain way, gets married, and has a kid. These are the tick marks that a girl should have to become complete," commented Sania.

"One of the reasons for my comeback and play as a mother was to show that you can be a world champion and still have a complete life. It does not mean you must sacrifice some parts of your life that you can't be a mother, a wife or a daughter. You can still do it and be a world champion," Sania asserted.

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If success came Sania's way throughout her career, the controversies too chased her, and many a time unnecessarily. She was accused of disrespecting the Indian flag when that was not the case. She was scolded for "supporting" pre-marital sex when she had not said anything like that. She was also accused of shooting inside a mosque for commercial benefit when she had not entered the restricted area.

A Fatwa was also issued against her for wearing an un-Ismalic dress (skirt). Asked what hurt her the most, Sania chose not to return to the disturbing incidents of the past. "Honestly, I don't remember. It's been too long. And honestly, it doesn't bother me at all. Everything that happened in my life has made me the person that I am today, and it has made me very strong as a human being internally, and it has made my self-belief even stronger. My truth is I don't remember. I can greatly omit a lot of bad in my life. It is not relevant in my life. It's not bringing me any positivity," she concluded.

(With inputs from PTI)

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• Sania Mirza
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