When she’s on the tennis court, she’s renowned for owning it, and she’s also known for her trenchant reactions to it.
Sania Mirza is her name, and she needs no introduction. Yet, in order to bring down a woman who has a mind of her own, a tongue with which to express her thoughts, and an instinctive feeling of pride, people frequently disregard all of her accomplishments.
Sania, the former World No. 1 in women’s doubles, was named one of Time’s ’50 Heroes of Asia’ and was also named one of The Economic Times’ ’33 Women Who Made India Proud. She was also named to Time magazine’s ‘100 Most Influential People In The World’ list in 2016, and there appears to be a lot more to remember her for.
She is renowned for being a fierce, sarcastic woman off the court when it comes to crossing her just for the purpose of crossing her.
1. The Fatwas’ Daring At A Time, One T-Shirt At A Time
Sania was 18 years old when a Muslim cleric from Kolkata, Haseeb-ul-Hasan Siddiqui, issued a fatwa against her for attending her matches in t-shirts and skirts. He ordered that she hide the matches or suffer the consequences. Sania, on the other hand, was not one to be deterred by threats, so this is what she did instead. She began wearing shirts with slogans such as, “I’m cute, right? There’s no way…” “You can agree with me or disagree with me,” and “Well-behaved females rarely create history”!
2. Rajdeep Sardesai Clears Up The Misconceptions
Sania was asked when she intended on “settling down” during an interview with noted journalist Rajdeep Sardesai about her then-recently issued autobiography “Ace Against Odds,” and her response is one for the books.
3. Calling Out Bullies in the Sports Industry Politely
Sania tweeted her joy after completing 80 weeks as the World No. 1 in women’s doubles, but former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar sought to correct her by reminding her that she was the “No. 1 doubles player.”
4. When She Called The Bullies Who Called Her “Pakistan’s Daughter-In-Law”
When she announced her desire to marry Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, practically the whole country supported the sports star. Regardless of what others said, she followed her heart and carried on with her goal.
5. She criticized India’s inability to safeguard its women.
Sania became the first South Asian woman to be named a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, and when she got the opportunity to speak in front of a bigger and more diverse audience, she criticized India’s failure to protect women’s rights. Instead, a single phrase from the interview went viral. “I have stated unequivocally that I would stand up for what I believe in and confront the issue of gender inequity.” She’s not a lady to mess with since she always understands where she’s coming from. She says what she thinks, and whether you like it or not, she calls a spade a spade. She has encouraged millions of young women to follow their ambitions, dream big, and live their life on their own terms.
