'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
When one speaks of longevity, the architect of Indian tennis in the last decade is right up there sharing the limelight along with the God of Cricket. The flag-bearer of Indian tennis is looking forward to record his name in history as the first Asian male to compete in six Olympics. This man, a legend in the eyes of his nation, does not age; he has championed time; and he goes by the name – Leander Adrian Paes.
A young 17-year-old Leander Paes shot to international fame when he was crowned the 1990 Wimbledon Juniors title and rose to No. 1 in junior world rankings. Talent and aptitude steered him early in his career as he tasted immense success at the junior level. Turning pro, however, was much tougher on him, as he was alienated from his fellow players, and struggled to keep up with the level and mental toughness of the professional players. Leander sunk into depression after he returned from a tour where he failed to win any of the matches. He threw his racquets and announced to his parents that he was done with tennis, to which they said nothing.
“Then eight weeks went by and I started to miss the game, the competition, the camaraderie, the mastering of the shot. Finally I asked my mom, ‘What’s wrong with dad, he’s not asking me about tennis?’ She said, ‘You don’t have to play tennis, you will always be our son.’ That turned my life around and I haven’t stopped playing since.”
Despite having a hand-eye coordination to die for, success surprisingly eluded Paes in the singles. Other than grabbing a Bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics and beating the legendary Pete Sampras in 1998, Paes has little to flaunt in his career-best singles ranking of 73. Destiny seemed to have crafted him for the doubles circuit, where he would, one day, reach the top of the ladder.
Carrying on the legacy of greats like Vijay Amritraj and Ramanathan Krishnan was never going to be easy for any player, that too with the enormous expectations of the Indian crowd weighing on the back, but this is Leander Paes we are talking about – the man whose fortitude and grit would power him to the stature of demi-god in Indian tennis. Much unlike his restricted success in singles, Paes would turn out to be a brute force in doubles. He would accomplish the pinnacle of unbounded success, causing upsets and defeats en route, and would emerge as one of the greatest among his contemporaries. Much was waiting for the son of a celebrated hockey player, so many victories craving to kiss his feet!
Partnering compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi, Paes exploded into the doubles arena. The aggressive outlook, the fighting attitude, the clenching of the fists, the self-pumping, the on-court enthusiasm, the screaming, the angry stare were all part and parcel of Paes’ game as much as his agility, cat-like movements, swift reach, delicate volleys, elegant drop-shots, and the innumerable net advancements. A not-so-tall physique curbed him from being a big server, but Paes more than made up for it by his invincibility at the net.
Statistics emphasize his dictatorship in doubles with as many as seven Grand Slams, 57 career titles and best ranking of No. 1, but Paes boasts of more than mere numbers. His Davis Cup records while playing for the country reveal astonishing figures and goes on to highlight his never-say-die spirit. Ranked just inside the top 200, he had ousted the world No. 25 on clay – a surface that he is not known to prefer – in a singles match no less. A fierce tiger in the national colours, Paes was pulling off regular upsets in the Davis Cup; no feat seemed to be lofty enough for him as he was always prepared and was capable of surpassing all barriers – just for his country.
Having experimented with as many as 87 partners, a humble Paes feels it has all been a learning experience for him. His partners hold him in great veneration, and are in awe of the passion, fervour and devotion he brings to the sport. At 39, he continues to draw respect and acknowledgement from his contemporaries for his reflexes, which haven’t slowed down even a bit, and his leadership on court.
“He reads the game of doubles as well as anyone. What I think he does the best of anyone is getting the most out of his partners,” is what Mark Knowles had to say.
Speaking of Paes, it’s hard to hold back the temptation of going to the depths of his relationship with long-time doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi. The ‘Indian Express’ chest-bumped their way to many memorable wins in the ATP circuit courtesy their immaculate understanding and flawless communication, which made them a challenging pair to beat. However, as Knowles iterates, “Doubles is a cut throat world. You can be friends one day and enemies the next. You grow up in the singles mentality and even though it’s doubles, everyone is always looking out for their own best interests and which other player they might able to go further with.”
Sourness leaked into the Lee-Hesh bonding soon after their achieving the zenith of success, due to reasons which still continue to remain engrossing topics of gossip. They, nevertheless, continued to play for India, but problems didn’t cease. Too much pressure on their friendship, repeated failures on court and ego clashes fuelled their separation, and they continued with different partners till 2010, after which they decided to patch up once more. But emotional strain cut down their triumphs and internal politics worsened the matter as the duo split again, perhaps forever.
Paes, in his own words, has always despised politics in sport and believed in building healthy relations – emotional, spiritual and professional – with all his partners. “Sure I’ve won and lost some and the history books will write about that, but it’s really about the one-on-one relationships that connect you to the world and how you appreciate them.”
Performance, and nothing else, has always been the yardstick according to the greatest legend in Indian tennis as he quotes: “At end of the day I have to rest my head on my pillow. I just have to be true to Leander, and that’s a great thing.”
And one is compelled, by the sheer enormity and grace of this personality, to bow down before him, and pray for more Leanders, not just in tennis, but in all sports in general.
