But the reason why the charge that Sania is anti-Indian has provoked extreme astonishment in our family is also because she is known to have got into scraps with members of the Hyderabadi diaspora whenever she has felt that her country was being unjustly criticised. As a result, Sania has a reputation among her relatives of being an ardent nationalist.

Whatever her personal beliefs, though, her record as a professional sportsperson leaves little room for doubt as to where her heart lies. Unlike several other top-level international tennis players who avoid tournaments such as the Hopman Cup, the Federation Cup and the Davis Cup because these events neither help with the WTA rankings nor bring in any moolah, Sania, like Andy Roddick of the US, has always been very keen to play for her country. What’s especially ironic is that this year she had to choose between representing India at the Hopman Cup in Perth for free or participating in a glamorous Asian invitational tournament for which she would have been paid a six-figure sum (in US dollars, not in Indian rupees!). She chose to play for India.

It is awfully poignant therefore that a young woman of Sania’s talent and temperament has to defend herself in front of the international media at the Australian Open by saying: “It (the flag case) is in court, but I just know that I would not do anything to (dishonour) my country. I love my country.”

... contd.