Senior journalist apologises after a 'sexist' question to Sania

'I hope my achievements set a precedent that no girl is asked at the age of 29 as to when she is going to have a child.'

Tennis ace Sania Mirza gave a fitting reply to senior television journalist Rajdeep Sardesai after being asked a 'sexist' question.

After the launch of her autobiography, Ace Against Odds, in Hyderabad on Wednesday, India Today's Sardesai asked Sania about motherhood and settling down. 

The world No. 1 doubles player was livid and her reply forced an apology from the popular TV anchor. 

Here's part of the interaction between Sardesai and Sania on India Today: 

Sardesai: Amidst all the celebrityhood, when is Sania going to settle down? Is it going to be in Dubai? Is it going to be in any other country? What about motherhood… building a family… I don’t see all that in the book; it seems like you don’t want to retire just yet to settle down.

Sania: You don't think I'm settled?

Sardesai: You don't talk about retirement, about raising a family, about motherhood, what’s life beyond tennis is going to be…

Mirza: You sound disappointed that I'm not choosing motherhood over being number one in the world at this point of time. But I'll answer your question anyway; that's the question I face all the time as a woman, that all women have to face — the first is marriage and then it's motherhood.

Unfortunately, that's when we're settled, and no matter how many Wimbledons we win or number ones in the world we become, we don't become settled. But eventually it will happen, not right now. And when it does happen I’ll be the first one to tell everybody when I plan to do that.

Sardesai: I must apologise! I framed that question very badly. I promise you, you’re right, I would never ask this question to a male athlete…

Mirza: I'm so glad; you're the first journalist to apologise to me on national television.

"I hope my achievements set a precedent that no girl is asked at the age of 29 as to when she is going to have a child when she’s number one in the world," said Sania, later during the conversation.