Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza is strapped with a no-frills attitude — be it on- or off-court.
Case in point: She had just lost a game to the Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues on Monday but she shrugged off her poor form, saying, "Every player goes through a good and a bad patch."
Her strokes were equally incisive in matters not relating to tennis. For a second, it was difficult to believe that she was the same person who had unleashed the "Sania Mania" fanfare in India. From her nose piercing to her sassy T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like "Well-behaved women rarely make history", she was an ace at serving up some bold fashion statements.
"I don't understand what it means to be a style icon. All I can say is that many people like the way I dress, talk and carry myself. They like certain things about you. Personally, even if I were not a celebrity, you will still see me wearing these clothes," Mirza said, glancing down at her blue T-shirt and black tracks.
Apparently, she had also given her cheeky T-shirts the boot. "That was around six years ago. I have moved on from those T-shirts. It was just a phase."
‘Not that creative'
Defining her style quotient as "casual", the 24-year-old is currently in a laid-back mood. "If I were given a choice, I will always be in a pair of tracks and a T-shirt," she said. "I am much more of a jeans-and-T-shirt person.
"But there are days when I love dressing up. I love Sabyasachi's [Mukherjee] designs — especially when it comes to traditional Indian dresses."
Yet Mirza maintains that her interest in fashion is superficial and that she won't join the ranks of tennis stars who've turned to designing, such as Serena Williams. "I am not that creative when it comes to clothes. I am happy wearing what others design. In fact, my favourite pair of jeans is something I picked off the road. And I am not very conscious about the brands either."
Similarly, she may have friends in Bollywood but says she'll never be caught dead in a musical — even though rumour has it that India's favourite pin-up girl has been incessantly courted by film producers. "I love watching Bollywood films — I saw My Name Is Khan yesterday," Mirza said.
"But, no — a career in movies is not an option. If I were to stop playing, I might try interior designing."
Her link-ups with Bollywood heartthrob Shahid Kapur and her recent broken engagement are also tabloid staples. Declining to speak about her personal life, Mirza said, "I know Shahid. That's all I can say."
Sania's favourites
Her fave hero: Akshay Kumar
Her fave tennis player: Kim Clijsters — "I admire her as a person and a player."
