Hyderabad: Former Indian tennis star Sania Mirza has returned to India after spending tense days in Dubai where she resides with her son. She decided to come back to Hyderabad ahead of Eid amid growing uncertainty in the region following escalating tensions involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
According to Sania Mirza, the tense atmosphere in the region and unusual developments near her residence prompted her to prioritise her son’s comfort and safety during the festive period.
Speaking to NDTV, Sania revealed that she decided to return to India after hearing fighter jets flying overhead and witnessing interceptions in the skies near her home in the Al Barsha area.
She also shared that debris from an intercepted projectile had fallen not far from where she lives. “We heard fighter jets above our house and saw interceptions. There was debris that fell around 400–500 metres from where we live,” she told the news outlet.
Sania Mirza explained that she travelled to Hyderabad last week once the situation began to feel uncertain. “Honestly, Dubai is my second home. A few incidents occurred, and at that point I thought it would be better to come back. We didn’t feel unsafe, but it did feel uncertain,” she said.
The tennis star added that her decision was largely influenced by the presence of her young son at home. “You don’t want your child going through that. He was asking questions. It didn’t feel unsafe, but it did feel uncertain and unsettling,” she said.
Sania Mirza noted that her son’s school in Dubai is scheduled to reopen next week, but she plans to monitor the situation before deciding when to return. “School is supposed to start next week, but we’ll monitor the situation. I’m lucky that I can come back to Hyderabad and still have a home here with family,” she added.
“I really hope that things settle down soon,” she said.
Sania Mirza’s life in Dubai
For the unversed, Sania Mirza moved to Dubai after her 2010 marriage to Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik. The city eventually became her primary residence, partly to avoid settling permanently in Pakistan due to security concerns.
She currently lives in Dubai with her son, Izhaan, who also attends school there. Following her divorce, she moved into a new luxurious villa in the city and has been balancing her professional commitments while raising her son as a single parent.
