Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has opened up about her depression after having to pull out of the 2008 Beijing Olympics due to an injury.
Mirza had to retire in her first-round singles clash at the 2008 Games as she was struggling with a wrist injury. In the doubles as well, she lost in the second round, bringing a premature end to her first-ever Olympics.
The 34-year-old has revealed the phase after the Olympics was one of her toughest ones mentally as she felt she could never ever play the game again.
“It was the 2008 Beijing Olympics and I had a very bad wrist injury. I went into depression for 3-4 months after that, I remember crying for no reason. I would be absolutely fine and then I would burst into tears. I remember not coming out of my room to even eat a meal for over a month,” Mirza said in an interview with Mind Matters.
“The fact that I was being forced into not being able to do what I love or what I do, was really bothering me. It’s a lot for anybody at any age, but for a 20-year-old to read that you’re finished or you are not going to be able to compete at Olympics ever again,” she added.
Mirza however recovered from the blow to have a stellar doubles career where she was the World No 1. The Hyderabad-born tennis star won six Grand Slam titles during her career and was close to bagging an Olympic medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games when she lost in the mixed doubles bronze medal playoff match.
Watch the full interview below: