Two years back or so, I was rushing to my weekend film on a Thursday. I saw a crowd in the Meena Bazar and heard that Sania Mirza is coming to inaugurate Al Haseena Jewellery. The road was almost blocked. I suddenly noticed a face in the traffic and noted it is Sania Mirza. (No others noticed her that time because the image we had was quite different from the girl next door sitting in a four wheeler.) I waved my hand and Sania saw it too, then she cannot wave back because that will create security problems. (I wanted to tell something to her, something to help her career which I notice while watching her play. i.e. she should concentrate exclusively on her serves. Only if she concentrates on that perfect it to the extent she can send an ace when she needed… any ways that doesn’t happen.) As soon as she finished inaugurating the jewellery I moved to the theatre.
The other day, I saw her on TV, on a press conference where she attended together with Mohanl Lal, promoting Malabar Jewellery. It was the time she was involved with a controversial pre-marital sex opinion. I saw angry Sania Mirza quit the press conference where the press people started quizzing her again on her opinion, as if she is the final judge on the issue.
I will undoubtedly place Sania Mirza as the changing face and new hope of Indian woman. Tennis is a powerful game which needs good strength and stamina, will power and determination. She took the pride of India to places and shown strength to the world which we never imagined Indian woman are capable of.
Born to a sports journalist Imran Mirza and Nasima in 15th November, 1986, this little girl took racket in hand in the young age of 6. Under the guidance of her father she practiced for long hours, which helped her to enter into the world of professional tennis in 2003 at the age of 17. From there on, she won many matches and much more hearts. In singles, she is the winner of Hyderabad Open (WTA) to her credit and reached up to 27th rank. (She now ranks 99th) where she is yet to play a WTA match after July or so.
In doubles, she took 7 titles partnering different players. We also witnessed, our golden boys in Tennis, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi fighting for partnering with this Desi girl. She reached up to 18th rank, however her switching partners more often disrupted her from improving her rank in doubles.
I have a feeling that this girl was little unlucky where in many a matches she got out by the virtual champions. I have noticed at least 4 or 5 times this happening. As I told earlier, I thought her biggest problem is her serves. She has given out many a point through double faults. Being an Indian, she lacks the stamina in some matches but many a time I could witness she get empowered by the ground support and made great come backs. It is sheer determination, ambition and persistence made her to reach to the position she is in but I think she need to concentrate more on serves if she wish to win the matches. Aces that win matches and reduce double faults!
Being a Muslim and following Tennis dress code was one major hurdle she has to pass in early days. The conservative clerics try to block her, but she answered them by saying, ’Every body sins that is why Allah made ways to pardon people. If playing tennis is a sin, let me do the sin now and I will take pardon later. ’ Here we can see an all determined rebel in her, pursuing her dream.
Her pre-marital sex comment, in fact the media is the first culprit. I wonder what was the journalist thinking when he asked the question, ’what is her opinion on pre-marital sex’ on the first place. She was a less then 20 year old girl that time and spent her entire time in sports. How her opinion is important to the journalist? And when she said her opinion that it is anybody’s personal choice, what was wrong in it?? If there is no freedom of opinion, why the media asked such questions? If there is freedom of opinion, why the media didn’t stand up with her, for that matter all those who involved in the issues that time, with Kushboo, Suhasini and all?
Another issue addressed to her is that she is concentrating more on promotions than the game. I cannot blame her for that. I remember, after winning a bronze medal in Olympics, Leander Paes’s father made an appeal to Indians in Dubai to help to build Leander’s career. If, even after winning in Olympics an athlete need to plead for money, a lot of money must have spend on her to reach places. When opportunities come to us, there is no harm in using it to get the money invested back with or without profit, like our other sports personalities and film stars. Mind you, she has earned more than a million dollar from playing tennis alone in international level, if that is an amount you consider good for an Indian athlete.
Another controversy appeared where she was accused of placing her feet in national flag. She clarified she didn’t mean any disrespect she even now fear to play in India fearing the undue controversies following her. I kept a small smile in my face where I know Scorpions are the most misunderstood people.
Sania is only 22 now and 3 or 5 years Tennis is left in her. I am sure she will bounce back if we can give enough support to her - only enough to motivate a scorpion! Cheer up girl, Sania…we all love you…Keep rocking for the millions of Indians…You have shown a way with your courage, determination and spirit!! You are a model for many Indians! They are correct!! And Happy Birth Day Sania!!