Tennis icon Sania Mirza is back with the second season of her podcast, 'Serving It Up with Sania', blending sport, celebrity culture, and candid storytelling into one platform. The season premiere features actors Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal, who open up about their relationship, marriage, and the experience of sharing a professional workspace as a couple.

Sania on her podcasting journey

Reflecting on her evolution from tennis superstar to podcast host, Sania admitted she was not immediately sold on the format. 'When I first tried my hand at podcasting, I wasn't sure how much I would enjoy it. But over time, I realised how much I love having these conversations and getting to know people beyond what we see of them publicly,' she said.

The positive audience response to Season 1 became a key motivator for her return. 'The success and response to Season 1 gave me even more reason to come back with Season 2. I've spent years smashing it on the tennis court, and now I'm enjoying this new innings as a podcaster,' Sania added, signalling a confident transition from professional sport to media.

Season premiere: Sonakshi and Zaheer on love, work and pickleball

The opening episode is structured around an informal pickleball game before the conversation deepens. Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal discussed their seven-year relationship, their first five-and-a-half-hour conversation, and what it is like to be both life partners and professional collaborators on screen.

Sonakshi candidly addressed the dynamic of on-screen romance with her husband: 'For me, romancing on screen is the toughest thing ever. So when it's with your own husband, then it's fine. It just eases you out when you have your person around you. But of course, when we are at work, it's time to work.'

The actress also touched on her changed relationship with travel, noting that years of work-related touring — roughly 25–30 weeks annually — had shifted her perspective on leisure trips.

Sania praises the couple's pickleball skills

On a lighter note, Sania was effusive about Sonakshi and Zaheer's performance during the pre-show pickleball session: 'You guys were the best pickleball players we've had now for all the seasons that we've had,' she said.

Notably, the use of pickleball — a sport rapidly gaining mainstream traction in India — as an icebreaker reflects Sania's intent to keep the show rooted in athletic culture while broadening its entertainment appeal.

What to expect this season

Sania has described the upcoming season as featuring a 'fantastic lineup,' though further guests have not yet been announced. Given the blend of sporting credentials and entertainment access she brings, the show occupies a distinctive niche in India's growing celebrity podcast space — a market that has expanded significantly since the mid-2020s.

With Season 2 now live, audiences will be watching to see whether Sania can sustain the momentum and deepen the format beyond its debut success.