‘Pregnancy and having baby made me better person’: Sania Mirza

The winner of six grand slam titles could not resist herself from relating to Serena Williams after watching the documentary 'Being Serena'.

Mumbai: In an open letter to all mothers, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has shared her emotional experience of motherhood and what it takes to defy all odds and make a comeback to the sport.

The winner of six grand slam titles could not resist herself from relating to Serena Williams after watching the documentary ‘Being Serena’.

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The documentary is an eloquent tale of the very best in women’s tennis overcoming all hurdles to make a comeback to supremacy on the court while trying to strike a balance with her role as a mother. It also showcases game-changing moments in Serena’s professional and personal life, tracking her pregnancy, motherhood, and more.

“Pregnancy is something that I had experienced for the first time in my life. I thought about it and I think we all have a certain picture about it but once you experience it, you really understand what it means. It absolutely changes you as a human being,” Sania said in the open letter on Wednesday.

“Having seen Serena. Playing in the same era and being around her and watching her gripping documentary “Being Serena” was like watching her in reality. It shows so much about her personality, her fighting spirit, her passion and her will to succeed even after achieving so much,” she added.

The Padma Bhusan recipient dedicated the letter to all ‘mothers’ who are facing similar dilemmas in their everyday life.

“Getting back to shape and form after pregnancy can be a challenge and I can relate to Serena and every other woman on that. I think it is normal for everyone because you do not know how your body is going to react post-pregnancy and during pregnancy,” the Indian tennis star said.

Lastly, the Indian tennis star while depicting her transformation journey and the sheer joy of being on the court said, “Having put-on around 23 kilograms during my pregnancy, I was not sure if I was ever going to get back to being fit and playing tennis again.”

“However, I lost around 26 kilos with a lot of workout regimes and very strict diets and came back to tennis because that is what I know, love, and do. Finally, when I won at Hobart after coming back it was pretty amazing,” she said.

It has been an eventful return for Sania after embracing motherhood and giving birth to baby boy Izhaan, by winning the very first doubles title in January 2020 after nearly a two-year break from the sport.

The Doubles title at the WTA Hobart International 2020 with her Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok also cemented the fact that she has put in the hard yards to be back at 100 per cent and begin her second innings right from the point where she left it.