Kolkata: Apart from battling a form downslide and plummeting rankings, Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza also has to be on her guard while speaking as one loose statement from her could lead to "a national crisis".
"I have to measure every word I utter. An if-to-but from my lips can create a national crisis," the 19-year-old said on Monday.
The country's top women's tennis star, who has found herself embroiled in controversies in the past over her on-court dress code which even led to some Muslim organisations issuing fatwa against her, made the admission during a brief interaction with school kids at a programme in Kolkata.
Participating in a question-answer session with the kids at the Heritage school, Sania said her success in international tennis over the last two years had made her a responsible individual.
"In whatever I do, I have to be careful," she said, as some 50-odd students lapped up every moment of their tryst with the glamorous tennis star.
A cheerful Sania, responding to a query about her funniest moment on court, recalled an incident during the Hyderabad WTA Open two years back.
"I don't know whether it will be proper to narrate it before school children," Sania said pausing for a moment.
"By the side of the court, there was a guy with a placard 'Sania, marry me'. And beside him were three other guys, each holding aloft placards 'and me', 'and me', 'and me'," she said.
Another student asked Sania, what specific query she would put forth to her idol.
"Well, my idol is Steffi Graf. But whenever I have met her, I could never open my mouth. The day I manage to break my silence before her, I'll let you know".
Sania also urged the students to follow their dreams. "And you must enjoy what you are doing".
Sania also visited the Khiddirpore St Thomas Day School where she was welcomed by the children and the teachers.
Both the functions were marred by overzealous private security men deployed by the organisers who seemed more intent on shoving media persons away than preventing any breach of space.
At the Heritage school, some security men even broke the camera of a television channel.
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