Karachi: Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has dismissed reports that her marriage with Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik is in trouble.
The news of differences and separation of Shoaib and Sania had been making rounds on the media for many months, but the Indian tennis player, who was on a private visit to Sialkot, the hometown of her in-laws, clarified that reports about her marriage being on the rocks were incorrect.
"Our marriage has not been easy because we are professional athletes and come from different
countries and we knew there would be stress on us with time but we have so far managed it well. There are no problems between us at all," said Sania.
"I came to Sialkot to just relax with my husband and in-laws before the start of my circuit commitments in Europe. I have had a great time and just been busy eating out and shopping to my heart`s content because I was out of the media limelight," she added.
The speculations of Sania and Shoaib`s differences became rife due to the continued distance between the two sporting personalities, but Sania explained that this was understandable since both had their professional commitments.
"It has not been easy for either of us but we have tried to manage as best as we can and I can tell you I am still as much in love with Shoaib as we were when we got married four years ago," she said.
Sania said that shuffling and managing a married life and a professional tennis career was a difficult job and taxing at times. But we have the future ahead of us," she pointed out.
The tennis star also made it clear that she loved visiting Pakistan and would have no qualms about taking part in any international event if it was held in the country.
"I know there is lot of talk about the security situation in Pakistan but I have no problems visiting Pakistan as it is my `sasural`," she said.
Sania said she had been shopping and had also taken time
out to enjoy fruit chaat from roadside vendors.
"When I went to the bazaars the shopkeepers used to first wonder whether I was Sania Mirza but when the see Shoaib with me, they knew it was me and it used to be fun giving autographs and clicking pictures.
"This is the best possible way to unwind before a tough tennis circuit coming up," she said.
Stating that she was a cricket fan and was disappointed at India losing the final of the World T20 tournament against Sri Lanka recently, Sania said, "I watched the final in Sialkot and we were all cheering for India to win but it was Sri Lanka`s day.
"I am also praying that Shoaib gets back into form soon as he remains a top player, she said, adding, "Every top cricketer goes through up and down in his career but Shoaib is a top player that is why he is in demand in these foreign T20 leagues."
Sania said she will be leaving for Europe on April 18.
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.