CHENNAI : For tennis ace Sania Mirza, being successful in her personal life means having loved ones around her. Ironically, the year started off on a rough note following her separation from Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik in January. After the news of Malik’s third marriage went viral, her team released a statement in January, confirming that the two had been separated for a few months, calling for fans not to indulge in any speculation. Mirza, who formally retired last year from tennis, unveils facets of her life often overshadowed by her public persona, discussing her home life, dietary habits, mental wellness practices, handling fame, along with her personal definition of success and fulfilment.
Everyone knows the tennis ace Sania Mirza. But how’s she at home with her close ones?
I’m a laid-back and lazy person. I’m a homebody and I hate going out. I love staying at home and the people who are close to me know that very well.
How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance amid the demands of being an athlete and a mother?
Work-life balance is very important, something we all strive towards and that no one has ever perfected. But it’s just about having priorities right and being kind to yourself. You can’t be a 100 at all times. I probably can’t be everywhere all the time so as long as I know I’m giving my 100 per cent wherever I am, it works out.
What dietary habits or nutritional principles do you prioritise for your overall well-being?
I try to be gluten-free, which I have been for many years. I try not to consume as much sugar, I won’t say that I’m sugar-free but I try to minimise it as much as possible.
Could you describe any mindfulness or mental wellness practices you engage in?
I try to get exercise and eat as much as possible. I try to exercise at least five times a week and I think that it also helps with not just your physical being but your mental wellbeing as well. I have a psychologist who helps me with certain areas of my life. I feel when you exercise or follow a good, healthy routine it puts you in a better place mentally as well.
As a global tennis icon, how do you manage your public image and privacy in the age of social media and constant scrutiny?
Social media and media are part of our lives and when you become a public figure, it’s just something that you need to deal with. It’s not always easy and definitely not always a bed of roses but it is what it is and everything has its pros and cons. You only have to try and protect yourself as much as possible along with the people around you. As long as the people around you know the truth and you know your truth I think it’s more than enough.
What are some of your favourite leisure activities or hobbies outside of tennis?
I’m a big beach person. I would love to just sit around at the beach. I love Goa, Maldives. I don’t have way too many hobbies but I love watching sports. But for me, a perfect day is just to sit at home and have loved ones around me.
How do you navigate the challenges of travelling frequently?
Travelling is very challenging because of constantly staying away from your friends and family. Just the fact that adjusting to time zones is a task. A tip that I’ll share is that you should not be very stringent, especially for the first one or two days when you’re trying to figure out where everything is; after that, I feel it becomes more of a habit. Travel is something that we all love doing but when you’re doing 25-30 weeks a year it becomes more of a strenuous work. So you just have to kind of go along with it as well and be ready for any challenges that might come up.
How do you define success and fulfilment in both your professional and personal lives? What guiding principles do you follow to achieve them?
Success and fulfilment come from a lot of content that you have within yourself. I think that everybody has different barriers, and different limits to what their success means to them. For me, to be successful in my personal life means to have loved ones around. Professionally, obviously, I’ve been lucky and fortunate enough to have the success that I’ve had and I am very grateful.