You just have to adapt: Sania Mirza admits lockdown has affected her comeback plans

Sania Mirza was just beginning to find her feet back into the tennis circuit after the pregnancy break when the lockdown due to the coronavirus outbreak put a halt on her plans to step up her training and tournament schedule.

The 33-year-old admitted that the forced break did affect her plans but said there is little she can do but to adapt to the changed environment. “It’s been tough because I worked really, really hard to get back into shape for playing at a really high level. Then this happened. But tennis seems really irrelevant in these circumstances.

“It’s important that we all come out healthy on the other side. You just have to adapt. At the end of the day, we all have to try and stay healthy. Hopefully, I still have it in me to come back again,” Mirza was quoted as saying by The New Indian Express.

The former world No. 1 doubles player has been working out for a couple of hours in the open space around her house but admitted that the uncertainty over when the season would start does affect the overall motivation.

“Sure, there is a little [motivation] lacking. It is more to do with the uncertainty of everything, at least for me. Not knowing and just training for something while not knowing when you are actually going to put it to use is pretty tough.

“Having said that, it’s important to keep yourself fit and healthy. Because when you do come back to actual matches, that’ll be important. Then, it’s just a question of getting your game back in place,” she was quoted as saying.

During this period, Mirza has also helped raise Rs 2.5 crore in three weeks through a charity run by her friends to feed the underprivileged and migrants affected by the lockdown.

“I feel we are in such privileged positions, sitting in the comfort of our houses and having food to eat. Daily-wage workers are the people who don’t have food to eat. They have stomachs to feed, they have kids, and it’s just so tough to see it. I’m just glad we have all been able to make Youth Feed India reach where it is as an initiative,” she added.