Sania Mirza is feisty. I make the mistake of asking her view as an 'Indian Muslim' on the Mumbai terror attack. I could almost see the hackles rise in annoyance.
'I'm an Indian. Not an Indian Muslim or any other Indian, but just Indian,' she counters sharply. First point to her, and I'm already on the defensive from this slightly built woman who carries the hopes of a billion people.
India's top woman tennis player was born 22 years ago in Mumbai. Her birthplace was the scene of terrorist attacks last November which left at least 173 people dead and more than 300 injured.
Almost six weeks have passed, but Mirza still cannot get the images she saw on television out of her mind. She reveals she could have been caught up in the massacre.
'I was supposed to be in Mumbai that day and if I had been, there was a 99 per cent chance I would have been in one of the hotels where the attacks took place,' Mirza shudders. 'Luckily for me, my appointment was cancelled the day before it all happened and I stayed at home in Hyderabad. But the tragedy still struck home, as a very close friend of my family was shot.'
Her mother's best friend's husband was having dinner with two other friends when the terrorists struck. He was injured, but his two friends died.