Indian tennis icon Sania Mirza has spoken candidly about the emotional turmoil she faced following her separation from former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik, revealing that she experienced panic attacks during that period.

In a heartfelt conversation on the debut episode of her new YouTube talk show, Serving It Up With Sania, the athlete recalled how filmmaker and choreographer Farah Khan, her close friend, stood by her during one of her most difficult days.

“There was a time when I was completely shaken,” Sania shared during the episode. “I had to appear on a live show, and you (Farah Khan) came to my set at the right moment. I was trembling and wouldn’t have been able to do it if you hadn’t come. You told me, ‘No matter what happens, you’re going on that stage,’ and that gave me strength.”

Farah Khan, reminiscing about that incident, said she immediately rushed to be with Sania after realizing her friend was having a panic attack. “I was so scared when I saw her like that. I had a shoot that day but dropped everything, came straight in my pyjamas and slippers. I just wanted to be there for her,” Farah said.

The emotional exchange also highlighted Sania’s resilience as a single mother. Farah praised her for handling both work and parenting with grace, saying, “You’re doing everything on your own—raising your son, managing work, and giving him time. It’s double the effort, but you’re doing it wonderfully.”

Sania Mirza and Shoaib Malik were married in April 2010 and welcomed their son, Izhaan Mirza Malik, in 2018. In January 2024, Sania’s family confirmed her divorce, which came shortly after Shoaib announced his marriage to Pakistani actress Sana Javed. Sania’s sister, Anam Mirza, later shared that the separation had taken place months earlier and requested privacy for the family during that sensitive time.