Former tennis star Sania Mirza has posted her first message on Instagram since news of her divorce from Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik became public.

Mirza shared a picture with a strong message for her Instagram followers, accompanied by the caption “reflection.” In the photo, she stood confidently facing a mirror.

Her son Izhaan did not appear or was mentioned in the photo unlike her earlier Instagram story.

The couple had been in the headlines since Shoaib Malik announced his marriage on January 20 to Pakistani actress Sana Javed, who recently divorced singer Umair Jaswal.

Following confirmation from Mirza’s father, Imran Mirza, and sister Anum Mirza, a statement released by her team on the next day stated, “Mirza has always kept her personal life away from the public eye.”

“However, today the need has arisen for her to share that Shoaib and she have been divorced for a few months now. She wishes Shoaib well for his new journey ahead! At this sensitive period of her life, we would like to request all fans and well-wishers to refrain from indulging in any speculation and to respect her need for privacy.”

Speculation about Shoaib and Sania’s marriage has been going on since 2022, and their public appearances together had become rare. Malik had also unfollowed Sania on Instagram.

Sania Mirza, one of India’s most accomplished tennis players, announced her retirement last year after a 20-year career, during which she secured 43 WTA doubles titles and one singles trophy, establishing herself as a trailblazer for women in sports.