Former tennis champion Sania Mirza has opened up about the unique challenges of raising her son Izhaan Mirza Malik in the constant glare of public attention. The six-time Grand Slam winner shared candid insights about helping her seven-year-old navigate life as the child of two successful sportspersons.
The Burden of Expectations From Birth
In a revealing interview with News18, Sania disclosed that public expectations for her son began even before his birth. "Izhaan is born into a family of high achievers. The public eye is constantly on him," she revealed. "Even before he was born, I was being asked if he's going to be playing cricket or tennis."
The tennis star expressed her frustration at these premature expectations, acknowledging that while the intentions might not be malicious, the pressure on unborn children of celebrities remains "ridiculous." She emphasized that this questioning has become an inevitable part of her son's journey and will likely continue for years to come.
Teaching Resilience and Choice
Sania has taken a proactive approach to prepare Izhaan for the external pressures he faces. She has already initiated conversations with her seven-year-old about managing expectations and understanding that failure is acceptable. "I've explained to him that it's okay to lose and that it's okay to not play a sport if he doesn't want to," she shared.
Despite currently playing for the U-8 football team of Italian club Juventus, Izhaan has been given the freedom to pursue his genuine interests. Sania has made it clear that he should follow his passions rather than family traditions, emphasizing that the probability of him becoming a professional athlete simply because of his parents' careers remains statistically small.
Balancing Normalcy in Extraordinary Circumstances
The parenting journey for Sania involves constantly walking the tightrope between protection and reality. She admitted that while she and her husband strive to "normalise his life as much as possible," complete normalcy remains unattainable given their celebrity status.
"I've to accept that the set-up he's in isn't normal. I can't be in denial and say that he's a normal child," Sania stated pragmatically. This realization struck her particularly when Izhaan, at just four years old, questioned why strangers recognized his parents and asked for photographs.
Now at seven years old, Izhaan is beginning to understand the differences between his life and those of his school friends. Sania noted that while her flexible schedule allows her to be more involved in school pickups and drop-offs, it also means she's frequently away for work stretches of four to five days.
Through it all, Sania Mirza remains determined to provide her son with the most grounded and balanced upbringing possible, acknowledging both the privileges and challenges that come with being born into a family of sporting legends.
