Sania Mirza wants son Izhaan on UK sojourn, seeks sports ministry’s help for visa

Sania Mirza is hoping to have her two-year-old son Izhaan along with her when she plays the grasscourt swing of the tennis season in the United Kingdom next month.

Sania Mirza, a former world No. 1 doubles player, is due to compete in a series of competitions, including Wimbledon, in the UK this summer ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in July-August. 

Though Sania has been granted a UK visa, her son and his caretaker are waiting for one. UK have restricted travellers from India due to the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. 

Sania has reached out to the Indian sports ministry for help. The ministry has requested the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to take up the matter with its UK counterpart. 

“We received this request for Sania a few days back, and I felt that it is important that as a mother, Sania be allowed to take her son along so that she can participate with a free mind without worrying for her child back home,” sports minister Kiren Rijiju said.

“We are hopeful that the UK government will see merit in this case and allow the child to travel with Sania,” Rijiju added.

Sania Mirza, who is looking to use her protected ranking to make the cut for Tokyo 2020, will begin her grasscourt campaign at the Nottingham Open on June 6 and follow it up with the Birmingham Open on June 14.

The multiple Grand Slam winner in doubles will then compete at the Eastbourne Open on June 20 before heading to Wimbledon for the season’s third Grand Slam on June 28.