MELBOURNE (AFP) — Sania Mirza bows out of the Australian Open facing a court case that in theory could see her jailed, but the Indian star says she has grown up over the past week and is determined to fight on.
The 21-year-old, a youth icon in her homeland, was knocked out in straight sets on Saturday evening by six-time Grand Slam champion Venus Williams, but said she took a lot of positives out of her progress.
She put up a credible battle against one of the biggest hitters and most experienced players in the game.
"I take a lot of positives out of it. I mean, she's supposed to be one of the biggest hitters of the game, and I was outhitting her. And I think that's a very good thing for me, for my confidence," she said after the third round loss.
Mirza is a unique position in tennis.
Few other women have to deal with the off-court dramas that regularly confront her as she seeks to promote the sport in a country where cricket is king while dealing with the wrath of Muslim fundamentalists.
In the past she has been criticised by ultra nationalists for wearing short skirts and sleeveless tops on court, and before the Australian Open a row flared after she was shown with her bare feet resting near the Indian flag.
A complaint was filed in the Hyderabad High Court demanding action under India's Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act, which can carry a three-year jail term.
Reports said a hearing had been set for March 3 and Mirza revealed before the tournament she had considered quitting the game, but instead has decided to deal with the issues.
"Yeah, it is painful, but I'm used to it now," she said of the accusations, before thinking again.
"No, you know you can never get used to things like that. Of course, it does hurt you, because you are playing for your country. Like I said, I'm a very proud Indian.
"If I wasn't, then I wouldn't be playing these tournaments, I wouldn't be feeling the way I feel about my country, and I would not be living in India right now with all this.
"I would have moved out a long time ago, but I'm proud to live in India and whatever I am I am because I have grown up in India.
"So I'm going to fight through it, I am fighting through it. You know, it will come and go. A lot of things have come and gone, and this will come and go as well."
Mirza repeatedly makes the point about being a proud Indian, but she has come to realise it is impossible to please everyone in a diverse country of 1.2 billion people.
"1.2 billion, I mean, there are going to be a couple of people that don't like you. That's very hard, but it's very hard for everyone to like you as well," she said.
"But I don't take it personally, to be honest. They obviously have good enough reasons for whatever they're doing.
"At the end of the day, yeah, I am 21, and it is very hard for me to deal with stuff like that sometimes and I feel very down.
"But like I played against Venus, I think matches like this just give me confidence.
"After having all that at the back of my head I'm just playing good matches and I'm still trying my best and still doing the right things. And I think that's the most important thing in my life right now is tennis.
"Yes, I'm fighting (court) cases, but I guess it's fine. I mean, it's just life."
Mirza remains alive in the doubles here. Following Melbourne, she travels to Bangkok to represent India in the Fed Cup.
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