Leander Paes: India's unsung hero

Leander Paes

No one epitomizes the qualities of professionalism, selflessness and patriotism more in Indian sport than Leander Paes. A tall claim, you may say.

Many blame him for the falling out with Mahesh Bhupathi for putting his interests before the country, and for his aggressive and at times, antagonistic behaviour on court. But then again, how easily we malign our heroes, how quick we are to jump on the bandwagon and criticise just because we are in a position to do so.

Leander Paes, who just won his 14^th Grand Slam title, has been India’s pride and joy for over two decades now. The tragedy is perhaps that he gets more acclaim and recognition outside his own country than he gets in his own.

The man is 40 years old, and at an age where many would consider hanging up their boots after more than two decades on the gruelling ATP Tour, and still possesses that boyish vigour and enthusiasm for the game he loves so much, making him one of the most respected professionals in the tennis world.

Paes started off as India’s most promising tennis hope since the Krishnans. He won the Boys’ Singles title at Wimbledon in 1990, and was quickly earmarked as one for the future. Yet, in a way, he is similar to one of India’s other unsung sporting heroes, Rahul Dravid.

After giving India their first individual medal at the Olympics in 44 years at the 1996 Games in Atlanta, Paes could have focused on his singles career. Instead, he chose to focus on doubles, mentoring and guiding the younger Mahesh Bhupathi through his initial years on tour, sacrificing his singles career to team up with Hesh as they soon became the most dominant team in men’s doubles. When the two fell out in 2001, Paes was blamed for the fallout, his ego having been said to have been the problem between the two. Which sportsperson has no ego? And why should Leander Paes have no ego?

The man, apart from winning a medal for India at the Olympics, has been India’s Davis Cup stalwart for two decades now. Whether it’s the famous 1993 victory over France, or playing a gruelling five-setter at the age of 33 against arch-rivals Pakistan, Paes has always been there for his country.

Yet, he had to face the ignominy of being asked to step down as captain after his team ‘lost confidence’ in him. Late in his career, at the London Olympics last year, Paes was the unfortunate victim of a case of collusion in Indian tennis, and was forced to team up with the unheralded Vishnu Vardhan in the doubles tournament, where the two incidentally fared far better than the established team of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna. Paes has always been there for his country, but has his country been there for him?

The man has dealt with adversity like no other. Weeks after teaming up with another great, Martina Navratilova, to win the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 2003, Paes collapsed on court, which was later diagnosed as a parasitic brain infection.

Paes was forced to miss the rest of the year and his career was put in jeopardy. Yet again, Paes showed his strength in times of adversity, resurrecting his career, slowly putting the pieces back as he made his way back on tour by early 2004.

As mentioned before, it is still a dream for most doubles players to have the chance to play with Leander Paes. He manages to get the best out of his doubles partners, whoever they are, whether it is the unheralded Lukas Dlouhy or a legend like Martina Navratilova.

The great John McEnroe, whom Paes had a well-documented spat with, recently admitted that Paes was perhaps a greater volleyer than even Stefan Edberg, widely recognised as the man with the most silken touch at the net. Paes is still competing and winning titles at 40, and his legend grows with each passing year, and each passing tournament victory.

Perhaps it’s time we gave Leander Paes his due. A perfect professional, a proud Indian and one of the best doubles players the world has ever seen. A true unsung hero.