Sania Mirza Turns 39: Life, Motherhood & Post-Tennis Joy

Sania Mirza celebrates her 39th birthday today. When asked if she feels wiser with age, she says, “Wiser I am not sure, but patient, for sure. I am able to enjoy and appreciate the smaller things a lot more.” The former tennis star admits she isn’t much of a birthday person. “I love having my family and friends around, but I don’t really do much. I like to keep it as quiet as possible, but I do like to have my me time on the day with people who love me around,” she adds.

Sania’s voice brightens as she talks about her son Izhaan, whom she shares with ex-husband Shoaib Malik. “I am so proud of him for the young man he is turning out to be. He is so kind and has a lot of love and empathy. He has shown me the most unconditional kind of love that there ever is. More than me raising him, he has raised me as a mother and made me become a better person.”

When asked if Izhaan shows interest in sports, Sania shares, “I do get asked this question since the time I was pregnant. He loves sports and that’s in his blood. He loves playing football, tennis, and swimming. He also plays drums. I don’t care what he does as long as he is enjoying himself, having a good time and giving it his 100%. I will give complete freedom to him to choose as that is how I was raised and that is how I want to raise Izhaan as well.”

Reflecting on life after tennis, Sania says she is loving this new phase. “The amazing part about being a sportsperson is that you get to retire early to be young enough to try and do different things, after having a successful career. I feel extremely privileged to be in that position. We just started our new podcast, I am getting into pickleball and have my own tennis academy. Obviously, I still do mentorship programs, motivational speaking, and I love them all.”

Asked about a possible tennis comeback, she explains, “I was a professional player for 20 years, so I was very sure that I was done with that innings of my life with my body, emotionally and mentally as well. I remember when I got pregnant, everyone asked me why wasn’t I retiring. It was because I always knew I wanted to come back. But this time when I retired, I knew that I couldn’t possibly be the best version of myself at the core as I had already done enough. So, a comeback is not a part of the plan.”