Sania Mirza, a former Indian tennis player, talked candidly about experiencing depressive episodes at the height of her career. In a recent podcast episode, the athlete disclosed that she was dealing with personal problems off the court while maintaining her peak performance. “We weren’t really aware of it before, so I talked about it quite late in life. It’s really important.” The last eight to ten years have seen a significant increase in the open discussion of mental health. It was associated with a great deal of shame and stigma in society. “I’m relieved it’s disappearing,” Sania said.
Mirza considered how stigma and irrational expectations frequently cause athletes to suffer in quiet. “Even I experienced it. I battled at times and experienced a few episodes of depression. Early in my career, I was also dealing with a lot of off-court issues that were being covered by the media. I did experience low points, and I talked about them much later in life. But because it has such a significant impact, I’m delighted Jemimah did talk about it,” she continued. During the Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 semifinal match, Indian cricket player Jemimah Rodrigues disclosed her personal battle with anxiousness.
