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But the 21-year-old, who advanced to the second round of the Australian Open with a 6-4 6-2 win over Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan, said it was only a fleeting thought and she expected to be around for a while yet.
"I think a lot of thoughts went through my head in the last couple of weeks," Mirza said.
"One of the thoughts was that, but I wouldn't say it was serious enough that I am going to quit right now."
Mirza is the subject of a court summons in Bhopal after a citizen made a complaint under the country's Prevention of Insult to the National Honour Act.
The controversy surrounds a photograph taken at the Hopman Cup mixed team event in Perth, played at the beginning of the year, that appeared to show Mirza's bare feet resting near the national flag.
The maximum punishment for the offence is a three-year jail term, but Mirza, one of her country's biggest sporting heroes, said she would never do anything to hurt India.
"I just know that I would not do anything to disrespect my country" she said.
"I love my country, I wouldn't be playing Hopman Cup otherwise, but besides that I am not allowed to comment."
Mirza admitted, though, that her preparations for the year's first grand-slam event had been affected by the controversy.
"It's not easy to deal with things like that off the court," she said.
"Obviously there are some misunderstandings happening. I am not super-human, so it does affect me a little bit. I am not a politician here, to outsmart people and try to fight. That's not what I am trying to do - I am trying to play tennis, I am 21, and I am trying to do the best I can. However I try and block it out, it's still at the back of my mind. But under the circumstances, I am just glad I came through the first round."
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RatingSo ? In an unguarded moment her bare foot was photogrpahed near the national flag ? SO FREAKING WHAT ? Does it automatically mean disrespect ? And where were these custodians of flag when the indian cricket team was video taped drenching the flag in champagne and dragging it on the ground in the celebrations that took place after the 20-20 win in cricket ? (see here http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Drenching-flag-with-champagne-puts-Team-India-in-dock/224422/) At that time everybody was commenting that oh it is okay ...our darlings got carried away in the display of love. And yet when sania does this everybody gets into a paroxysm of self righteous anger. If you ask me the sin of our cricket team was much worse than what sania is being dragged to the court for. So why this double standard ? Because she is a woman ? Or because she is a muslim ?
We are proud of Sania. We wish more and more young indians follow her foot steps. Learn to ignore the religious bigots (read hyderabadi mullas) and pseudo nationalists who just want to be in the news for nothing.
Please quit. Thanks in advance
why are you telling her to quit you freaking biatch ? jealous of her achievements ? Well your sorry no-accolades-no-love life is not her fault. Get over your resentment of our biggest sport progeny.
Its real shame that sportsperson like Sania being disturbed while she is trying to overcome the shadow of winning 1st round only. Year 2007 was not bad if not good for her, especially the second half.There are many talents but who succeeded to touch the heights that this girl had done.One must be Indian by heart and soul, and not be an Indian to come to limelight of others. I guarantee that the whosoever had filed the case should approach her and sought an apology and file the case only when she refuse.We can find thousands and thousands who not only disrespect the flag or national anthem but curse the country itself which is more shameful act than to unintentionally disrespect the national flag.In my opinion Sania should publicly apologize and pay a penalty in terms of fine decided by court of law.Secondly, I urge all those who make such incidence communal, please do not behave like our politicians do and divide ourselves. We are not hooligans or politicians who would not spare their own mothers and sell them if they find benefit and power in doing so.Jai Hind
Else, apologize and be a responsible sporting personality in future. Produce much better results and move-on!
who the hell are you to say "who cares"? Who has given u the right to speak for others. what have you done in life to come upto 31 rank in world tennis in a country where there are very few achievers?
jks, this is not personal. Even I like Sania to win more matches, but you do have to realize and cannot discount her success coming from from India. I am proud of that girl, no matter what. I watched her play in Cinci. Open. Believe me, it is easy for us to say that you need to win more, but one of the reasons for her failures could be because she has to participate in 2 or 3 events.. that will fetch her money to continue training and hire coaches! She makes me proud, I like to see her get past 3rd,4th rounds.. but even if not, I support her. As to these kind of small issues abt disrespecting the flag, I have seen that picture and really all I have to say to those detractors... leave the girl alone! Please.
Oh she "considered" quitting? Why didn't she quit, really? Who is she talking to? Would she like to talk to my hand?
Are you an idiot? She is just a kid. For crying out loud do you think she would something like that purposely? She can't even apologize for that because if she does, you will say that she admitted her guilt. Just calm down. She is just a sportsperson who is trying to play her sport. Get a life.
Sania ... You better find whether you will be able to win any match the moment the opponent is a good player. Wait till your second round match comes up.Result is well known.
Flag controversy with Sania is not such a big issue.Sania is equally patriotic as for any other Indian Citizen. First of all it should be checked whether the national flag near sani's feet was as per standards of Indiam Flag and whether it was rightly hoisted or not.Gems of India get disturbed by such court issues.
WELL SANIA WOULD HAVE BEEN WHAT SHE IS TODAY IF SHE WAS BORN AND BROUGHT UP IN COUNTRIES LIKE SAUDI ARABIA (OR ANY OTHER ISLAMIC COUNTRY)?????.MINORITIES LIKE S.MATHEW SHOULD STOP THINKING SMALL(MINORITY THINKING) AND PUT COUNTRY ABOVE THEIR RELIG
ananth sagar...have seen you name in any newspaper headlines.....what have you done in life.....let Sania be..she is 21 , making a name for her, her Country...u on the other hand- u r making a name for yourself too....a very apt name-"DUmbass"
People Like Ananth Sagar should realize that, Sania was there not because of India or it's narrow minded citizens like him but because of her hard work and acemanship in her sport. When will our people understands this
Sania should not quit her profession. She is a dedicated player, and yes, one should look at things in the sportsman's spirit, and not escalate such incidents as a national shame. She, is in fact, one of the rare sports-people that India can bet on outside the cricket world.
READERS KINDLY NOTE HER RECATION TOWARDS TWO INCIDENTS . IN CASE OF MECCA MASJIOD CONTOVERSY SHE FELT THREATENED. AND IN CASE OF NATIONAL FLAG CONTROVERSY SHE IS THREATENING. AN EXAMPLE HAS TO BE SET HERE PUNISH SANIA ACCORDING TO LAW. REMEMBER SANIA YOU ARE WHAT YOU ARE TODAY BECAUSE OF INDIA.
All you people who are against Sania are extremely small-minded, It is obvious to any normal person with a normal brain that it was not her intention to offend so if she did accidentally, let it go are are you stuck in your hate so much you cannot forgive? If so, please get a life and examine your own issues of why you are so full of hate for a girl who is a heroine of India. Long live Sania Mirza!
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