Dear Sania, stress is the price of fame, just deal with it

Sania Mirza has mired herself in controversy yet again, and this time by attempting to avoid it. Her decision to stop playing tennis tournaments in India, citing ‘minute scrutiny’, has  spurred Mumbai to offer their sage, if urbane, advice. Speak Up plays the messenger

Don't stop playing, Sania
Take it easy Sania. Why are you not playing in India? Controversies will come and go, but you should not get affected by them. You are only 21 and need  to learn to take things in your stride.

You are playing for the country and not those individuals who have no work but to pick at you. I'd advice you to not take a break. Avoiding to play in India is a bad idea.
Please reconsider your decision because it is never too late. As far as your outfit is concerned, I think you dress is perfectly fine and you don’t need to bother about those who find it indecent. Here's wishing you good luck.
—Jasmine Bhownagri

You need to take a break
You have already made your decision. Avoiding the Bangalore Open is not a bad idea. There is no going back now. You are going through a bad phase and it will pass. Learn to cope with such controversies because they are part and parcel of all popular sport.
I don't think you are anti-national. You have played for our country and made us all proud.

This is a well-deserved break and citizens like me will back you up. We are with you and hope that all these controversies end. I am sure that you will be able to perform better after your break.
—Jeet Banerjee

It’s time you learn to overcome stress
Why are you running away from controversies? The media follows everyone who is famous and you should learn to deal with the hype. Don't escape. Learn to face it because these are the things that will make you a stronger human being. Avoiding tournaments will add to the hype.

The fatwa that had been issued against you was ridiculous. Please ignore it. I empathise with you. I am sure it is difficult to deal with so much pressure at such a young age. Irrfan Pathan started young too, but he has overcome the stress. I am sure you can do
it as well.
—Kunjal Karaniya

Ignore allegations and move on
I can't really say whether your decision to not play the Bangalore tournament in India was right. I don't know what you are going through because I am not you.

You are always surrounded by controversies even when it's not your fault. Your talent isn't being highlighted because of this reason.

You are a wonderful player and I am proud of you. You should accept the mentality of those who just need an excuse to pull you down. Ignore it instead of taking it to heart.
It is nice to see you striving hard to achieve this level of success as a woman tennis player.
—Akash Sachdev

Don’t worry about your apparel
I don't blame you for the decision you've taken. You have always been the target of disgruntled people who have nothing to do but create controversies. I don't know how you deal with so much pressure at such a young age. I'm sure it is quite difficult for you to handle all the media attention.

Taking a break for some time may help you combat stress. Please ignore the fatwa that was issued against you. No one has the right to comment on someone's clothing. This is a free country. Besides, you are never indecently dressed. We know that a game like tennis demands that you wear apparel that is comfortable, and you don’t need to worry about it.
—Deepak Jagtap

Controversies will be part of your life
Did you avoid playing in Bangalore tournament because you were tired? If yes, then I think it is justified. But if you are not playing because of scrutiny by the media, you should rethink. There are many people who make issues out of complete non-issues. You have to learn to ignore them. I think they are rather silly. Please learn to deal with stress. At 21, you have reached the pinnacles of success.

You have become an icon in the eyes of many young Indians. They follow your every game. The sudden decision to avoid the tournament might have let them down. Don't let them down and please play for  India, on your own soil.
—Sunita Rajan

Just concentrate on tennis
I support your decision completely, Sania. There are some people who are jealous and don't want you to rise. Don't let them disturb you.

These are distractions, and you shouldn’t worry about it too much. We all face them as professionals. The real winners are the ones who ignore them and move on.
I am sure these issues trouble you. You might find it difficult to concentrate, but don't be bothered with what people say.

Your clothes are not objectionable and you haven't disrespected the Indian flag. Take a break if you are tired.
—Bharat Chauhan

Sania is under tremendous pressure
India doesn't have too many women sports stars. She is a role model for so many Indian girls. Ninety-five per cent of her fans are true and genuine. Any girl is bound to get stressed if she plays at such a young age.  She has been under tremendous pressure for the past few months.

And I don't think her attire should be a problem at all. What else can one expect her to wear, other than normal tennis attire? I don't know why she is always surrounded by controversies. She should just learn to deal with the pressure. It's part and parcel of every game. Sania's decision is indeed very shocking.
—Viren Rasquinha. Former Hockey Player

She sets an example for women
Women sportspersons aren't taken too seriously in India. There's absolutely no sponsorship, the infrastructure provided is not that great, the playing facilities are poor and the matches are hardly ever telecast. In these circumstances, I completely support Sania and her stand to not play in India. When you scrutinise someone's action at that level, only because she's a woman, she's bound to react this way.

By talking about the kind of clothes she wears, her achievements and contribution to the country are being ignored. I think she sets an example for Indian women, for achieving what she has, in spite of being a Muslim woman. 
—Shilpa Shukla. Chak De girl

She needs to take criticism positively
Sania Mirza is akin to a hero in our country. She has a great fan following and many people are hooked to tennis just because of her. Not playing in India because of the recent controversies is not a solution. In a country like India, where people look up to and idolise people like Sachin Tendulkar and Sania Mirza, it’s surely  going to disappoint them to not see her in action.

As an international player, Sania is surely aware that pressure is a part and parcel of every sportsperson’s life. One has to take the criticism in a positive way. She cannot just take a step like not playing in her own country.
—Amol Muzumdar. Mumbai cricket captain

Just focus on your game, Sania
Any sport requires the person's full attention if the desired results are to be achieved, and tennis is no different. And a controversy like the one that Sania Mirza is facing will obviously not help.

If she needs to continue focussing on her game, she needs to keep her mind off what others are talking about her. It's sad that at a time when she's doing well for her country, people here are pulling her down. She doesn’t need all this.

 Sania's problem has aggravated lately, and I would suggest her to just focus on her game. After all, she has a long way to go, and such problems may arise again.
—Jhulan Goswami. Cricketer