Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, on Wednesday, shared a heartfelt note to all the mothers who are trying to balance their careers with the responsibilities of being a parent.
Taking to Twitter, Mirza relayed how she was moved to pen down her journey as a successful sports player and a mother, taking inspiration from another renowned female figure in the sports arena: Serena Williams.
"Serena Williams, your story has inspired me to pen this letter. The #BeingSerena echoes my experience and that of women worldwide, who everyday balance family and personal goals," the mother to two-year-old Izhaan Malik wrote on the micro-blogging site.
Elaborating on the choices that allowed her to lead a different path than most girls her age, the Indian opened up about the early days of her pregnancy. She also mentioned the efforts she had to put in to get back into shape as per the requirement of her profession.
“Dear mothers, it is often said that a woman has to choose between becoming a mother and chasing her dreams. Today, I write this letter sharing my journey. I want to dedicate my words to all the mothers who have dared to dream,” she wrote.
. @serenawilliams your story has inspired me to pen this letter. The #BeingSerena documentary echoes my experience and of women worldwide who everyday balance family and personal goals.
— Sania Mirza (@MirzaSania) November 25, 2020
If you are in India, you can catch Being Serena on @DiscoveryPlusIn pic.twitter.com/Xlu9q8vEKb
Mirza claimed that in a world that continuously stereotypes women as homemakers, it often comes as a surprise when one succeeds in fulfilling their dreams as well. “More so, when it (the dream) involves sports. It is not something that comes naturally to families to say that we have a daughter and we want her to become a professional sportsperson,” remarked the 34-year-old.
She then explained how things become even more precarious when one conceives and the first question that arises is whether the soon-to-be-mother will now be able to make a comeback. “Though things have changed, I am sure a lot of women will relate to what I’m about to share,” Mirza continued. "Just like her (Serena), 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. But it’s an experience I recommend women should go through.”
Delving into details of getting back into shape, Mirza admitted that it is certainly 'challenging' but not impossible. “I can relate to Serena and every other woman on that. I think it’s normal for everyone because you don’t know how your body is going to react post-pregnancy and during it. Having put on around 23kgs, I wasn’t sure if I was ever going to be fit to play tennis again,” revealed the former doubles world champion.
But like Williams, Mirza didn’t give up and managed to lose “around 26 kilos with a lot of workout regimes and very strict diets.”
The sports superstar returned to the tennis court because that is what she loves to do. “Finally, when I won at Hobart after coming back, it was pretty amazing! I was honestly very proud of myself to have been able to put myself to compete at the highest level and I think that’s where I was mentally,” she stated. "Serena's efforts to be a perfectionist on the court and off of it have motivated us all. She has taught the world that you can have it all if you work hard and don't give up on your dreams.”
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