Mumbai: One of India’s greatest tennis players, Sania Mirza was born 15 November 1986.
The former world No. 1 in doubles has won six Grand Slam titles in her career. From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, she was ranked by the WTA as India’s No. 1 player in both the categories. Mirza was one of the highest-paid and high-profile athletes in the country.
Sania once revealed that in childhood she was advised against playing, citing if she plays outside, her complexion will turn dark and no one would marry her.
Sania said in a panel discussion on women and leadership at the World Economic Forum.
“I was just eight years old when I was told this and everyone thought that no one will marry me, because I would get dark,” Sania said.
On professional front, Sania is currently working towards a comeback to the professional circuit next year after taking a break to become a mother.
In 2009, Sania became engaged to childhood friend Sohrab Mirza. However, the wedding was called off shortly after.
12 April 2010, she married Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik in a traditional Hyderabadi Muslim wedding ceremony at the Taj Krishna Hotel in Hyderabad, India followed by Pakistani wedding customs for a mahr.
The couple announced their pregnancy on social media 23 April 2018. In October 2018, Shoaib Malik announced on Twitter that Mirza had delivered a baby boy and named him Izhaan Mirza Malik.