Sports has taught me and Shoaib to deal with ups and downs in life, says Sania

Sania Mirza

India's tennis star Sania Mirza, who is due to deliver her first child with Pakistan cricketer husband Shoaib Malik in October, put forth her opinion as to why parents should encourage girls to take up sports.

Shoaib Malik

An online user tweeted: "How many of you as parents on here would OR do encourage their daughters to play a sport? What are your reasons for doing so?" To which, Mirza retweeted: "It's taught me and @realshoaibmalik and my entire family how to deal with ups and downs in life and always believe there is another day to fight and come back ... only sport can give you that spirit and teach you that in practicality.. literally!"

Sania Mirza is an Indian professional tennis player. A former world No. 1 in the doubles discipline, she has won six Grand Slam titles in her career. From 2003 until her retirement from singles in 2013, she was ranked by the WTA as India's No. 1 player in both the categories. Throughout her career, Mirza has established herself as the most successful female Indian tennis player ever and one of the highest-paid and high-profile athletes in the country.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also, download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates