Former Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has revealed she experienced "bouts of depression" during her playing career, adding her voice to a growing movement of athletes speaking openly about mental health struggles in sports.

In comments published in the Hindustan Times, Mirza acknowledged dealing with issues both on and off the court that were discussed in the media early in her career. The six-time Grand Slam champion, who retired in 2023 after a two-decade professional career, first addressed her mental health challenges on her podcast "Serving It Up With Sania" last month.

"Even I went through it. I had a couple of bouts of depression, I struggled at times," Mirza said. "I was dealing with a lot of things off the court as well, which were being discussed in the media much early on in my career. I did go through my lows, and I spoke about them much later in life."

Breaking the Stigma

Mirza emphasised the importance of athletes discussing mental health openly, particularly praising Indian cricketer Jemimah Rodrigues, who revealed during the Women's Cricket World Cup 2025 that she battled anxiety throughout the tournament. Rodrigues scored an unbeaten 127 in the semi-final against Australia on October 30, helping India reach the final, which they won on November 2 for their first World Cup title.

"It takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable in front of the whole world when their eyes are on you," Mirza said. "And to do it at a time of high, it's not easy. It must have been a really difficult time for her that you can't get it out of your head, even at your highest high. I completely resonate with that."

The 38-year-old, who became the first Indian woman to win a Grand Slam title and reach world No. 1 in doubles rankings, said conversations about mental health have shifted dramatically in recent years. "It's really in the last eight to 10 years that people have started to talk about mental health openly," she said. "There was so much stigma and shame around it in society. I am glad that it is going away."Mirza previously disclosed in 2021 that she fell into depression for three to four months after a wrist injury forced her to withdraw from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Call for Change

Mirza stressed that athletes face unique pressures that the public often fails to recognise. "As sports people, our life is robotic, but we are also taken as robots, which is not true," she said. "We are actual real human beings with real feelings."

She added that prominent athletes have a responsibility to speak about issues that remain taboo. "People like us, whose voice is heard more per se, it's our responsibility to speak about things that are not spoken about that often," Mirza said.

Mental health awareness in Indian sports has gained momentum following recent discussions, with experts calling for systematic support structures and reduced stigma around seeking help.