Sania Mirza all smiles at Wimbledon as son shows up to support mom

Sania Mirza on Thursday sailed to Wimbledon’s second round with her doubles partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands from the US.

Even though Sania has passed the first round of the tournament multiple times, this win was more special than usual as her son Izhaan Mirza was rooting for her on the sidelines.

A picture shared by Sania on Instagram shows Izhaan present to see his mother play on the fourth day of women’s doubles in Wimbledon Championship 2021.

The tennis player tagged her son in the picture shared on Instagram.

In the caption, Sania checked off the recipe for a perfect day referring to her son as spiderman.

“Round 1 – check, Smiles – check, Spider man cheering us on – check, Wimbledon – check”

Sania marked her return to Wimbledon for the first time since 2017 on Thursday as she and Bethanie Mattek-Sands defeated sixth seeds Alexa Guarachi and Desirae Krawczyk 7-5, 6-3 in the women's doubles.

Sania was doubles champion alongside Martina Hingis at Wimbledon in 2015, following it up with a second Slam at the US Open two months later.

Her career doubles title haul stands at 42 with more than 500 match wins to her name.

Separating from son for Olympic call of duty 'difficult'

The same day Sania had spoken about the difficulties of her competing in Tennis after the birth of Izhaan.

She admitted in an interview that it will be "difficult" to be separated from her young son while she is in Tokyo.

She will become the first Indian woman to compete in four Olympic Games.

Family members are banned from going to this month's Games as Japanese authorities aim to reduce the risk from COVID-19 as much as possible

For the 34-year-old, that means Izhaan, her son with her husband and former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, will stay with family while she is in Tokyo.

"We are in difficult times and we have to make difficult decisions," said Sania.

"But never in my mind did I have any doubts about going. I was very sure."

Izhaan, who will only turn three in October this year, sat by his mother at a press conference at Wimbledon on Thursday.

"Leaving him at any time is difficult. I try to do it as little as possible," she added.

"But if it's something I have to do, then that's what I will do. As working mothers, sometimes you have to do it."

Sania will play doubles in Tokyo with Ankita Raina.

"To play four Olympics in a row, I feel really humble and grateful to be in this position to go to Tokyo after having had a baby," she said.