"Yeah, it is painful... you know you can never get used to things like that. Of course, it does hurt you, because you are playing for your country," Sania said reflecting on the controversies ranging from her on-court attire to a recent court case relating to allegedly disrespecting the Indian national flag during the Hopman Cup.

The 21-year-old said she has understood that she would never be able to please everyone in her more than a billion strong nation.

"1.2 billion, I mean, there are going to be a couple of people that don't like you. That's very hard, but it's very hard for everyone to like you as well," she said.

"But I don't take it personally, to be honest. They obviously have good enough reasons for whatever they're doing," she quipped.