Sania Mirza bats for mental health conversations around athletes: People forget we are regular humans

As someone who has in the past opened up about dealing with mental health issues, tennis star Sania Mirza feels that conversations about maintaining both physical and mental wellness for players is important.

“There is a lot of conversation about mental health, which is really good,” shares Mirza.

Noting how a lot of sporting icons are coming out and discussing matters of mental health, the 34-year-old says it is pretty amazing to see them be so open about their mental well being.

“A lot of high profile players and athletes coming out and saying they are not okay. People sometimes forget that athletes are regular humans too and also feel the pressure of many things mentally, not just physically. Definitely, there is more and more talk about mental health now and people are more aware,” notes Mirza.

Tennis player Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open to tend to her mental health, England cricketer Ben Stokes withdrew from a series to prioritise his mental health after a tough last few and American gymnastics star Simone Biles had opted out of five of the six finals at the Tokyo Olympics because of a mental block.

“I think everybody has their own way of dealing with metal health issues. Personally, I think it is very brave for them to come out and speak about the issue that they have. It is really good to prioritize mental health because mental well being is as important as physical well being,” she adds.

Currently in New York for the US Open, Mirza says playing and touring in the pandemic world is definitely challenging.

“It is different and it is the new normal. We always have our masks on and we are tested on a regular basis every two to three days. It is what we have to do to compete and travel the world,” she says.

Accompanying her on her tours is her two-year-old son, Izhaan and she admits that it does get all the more challenging travelling with a kid amid pandemic.

“It is difficult to be in this position. Having said that it is still a privilege for us to travel the world and play,” she concludes.