Kolkata: Seven years ago, the wedding between Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza and Pakistan cricket skipper Shoaib Malik was the cynosure of all eyes. Now, India cricket captain Virat Kohli tying the knot with celebrated actress Anushka Sharma is the hotcake.
So when Sania spoke about how amazing the star couple are and although she would not be able to attend their reception ceremonies in Delhi or Mumbai, how she knew both personally, there was a twinkle in her eyes.
“I don’t know (whether I will attend their reception) I am not in the country I am leaving on December 21. I will be in Dubai,” Sania told reporters on the sidelines of of the Premjit Lall Invitational Tennis Tournament at the Jaidip Mukerjea Academy on Saturday.
“The media hype I don’t cherish at all. It’s amazing right Virat and Anushka…everybody’s known they have been together for a long time and what better when two people love each other to get married. They have gotten married and they realise how much media hype will be around them so they went away to Italy and did it.
“But still at some point they will have to face it. Hugh profile weddings are always complicated in terms of dealing with so much of outside stuff. Shaadi gives enough stress anyway. My sister got married and it wasn’t a high profile wedding but was still stressful,” she added when asked about the frenzy around the wedding which took place in a private wedding function in Tuscany.
Sania had wished Virat and Anushka on the day of their marriage, tweeting, “Awee! congratulations you two .. you look lovely and so so happy .. wish you all the happiness in the world.”
Meanwhile, the 31-year old former World No.1 in the women’s doubles lamented the fact that there was no proper system in place to inspire new faces in Indian tennis.
“There hasn’t been a system in 15 years of my playing time,” Sania said.
With former Indian tennis players Vijay Amritraj and Jaidip Mukerjea standing next to her she continued,”When Vijay and Jai sir says the same, that means there hasn’t been a system in 30 years.
“I had homegrown heroes in them and this is why this tournament is so important. We are one phone call away when tournaments like these take place. If one kid picks up a tennis racket and says ‘I want to become a tennis player’ from here then we have been successful,” she added.
