Always Acing It!

Nayare Ali

Sania Mirza is glowing, thriving and stepping into 2026 with chutzpah and a fierce grit that is an extension of her sporty lifestyle and tenacious persona. She needs no introduction to tennis lovers. Her achievements have been listed and celebrated across the country. Currently, her podcast, Serving IT Up with Sania has showcased another side to Sania’s personality. That of a sensitive and intuitive host, who knows exactly how to steer the conversation with her equally popular guests, to keep the momentum alive.

What made her come up with this concept?

“Sports has always been my language and so doing this podcast felt like a natural extension of the way I connect with people. For years, some of my most candid and vulnerable conversations happened off camera on a couch with a friend. I wanted to bring that energy into a format where people could experience it with me. I know most of the guests well so what you see is organic and unscripted. I always like to keep things authentic and hence the sport-meets-conversation vibe. I feel the audience are able to connect with the show as they are finding it real,” she says.

Keeping it real

Authentic is a word that defines Sania. She is devoid of pretention and has a transparent personality. A woman who has fought her battles with dignity and not allowed the vagaries of life to dim her spotlight. In fact, despite a much talked about personal set back, she remains an epitome of dignity and courage. “I have tried to be as authentic as possible. The inner strength just comes. It maybe from sport, from self and confidence from my parents. We have to wake up every day with the knowledge that some days will not go according to our plans and there will be challenges. You have take these setbacks in your stride. So, it is important to wake up and fight another day with aplomb,” she emphasises.

Balancing many roles

Sania, like a true sportswoman has bounced back from a tumultuous phase in her personal life. Her days are filled with multiple endorsements on social media. She is endorsing ads every other day. She appears as a commentator on sports shows. From managing her Tennis academies in India and Dubai, to mothering her seven-year-old son Izhan, how does she do it?

“It comes with a lot of conscious and deliberate effort to prioritise a few things in my life. I try to be with my son as much as possible and be his constant anchor. And there are a few days when I have to work and I don’t get to see him as much as I would like too. On those days, I remind myself that I am working hard for him and my family. In fact, when he was younger, he was always on tour with me, but now that he has started schooling, so I ensure that someone from the family be it my dad, mum or sister is always around him, when I need to travel.”

She is pragmatic, practical and focussed. And when Sania sets her sights on a goal, you can be sure, she will reach the goal post, no matter how long it takes. She is glowing and is at her fittest best. While post pregnancy weight gain is a reality that most women in their 30s can’t escape from, Sania believes that it is important to “take your time firstly. Our body changes a lot post birth. My advice to women is not to put unrealistic pressure on themselves to drop the weight immediately. Whenever you are ready, start with small steps. It could just be a 10-minute walk for the first few days. It is all about inculcating some movement in a day, whether it is hitting a gym, playing a sport or just a brisk walk.”

That is the key to her success. Small consistent steps that go a long way in achieving the bigger goals!

Highlights:

“I have tried to be as authentic as possible. The inner strength just comes. It maybe from sport, from self and confidence from my parents. We have to wake up every day with the knowledge that some days will not go according to our plans and there will be challenges. You have take these setbacks in your stride. So, it is important to wake up and fight another day with aplomb.”

“Sports has always been my language and so doing this podcast felt like a natural extension of the way I connect with people. For years, some of my most candid and vulnerable conversations happened off camera on a couch with a friend. I wanted to bring that energy into a format where people could experience it with me. I know most of the guests well so what you see is organic and unscripted.”

“I try to be with my son as much as possible and be his constant anchor. And there are a few days when I have to work and I don’t get to see him as much. On those days, I remind myself that I am working hard for him and my family. In fact, when he was younger, he was always on tour with me, but now that he has started schooling, I ensure that someone from the family be it my dad, mum or sister is always around him, when I need to travel.