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Indian tennis legend Leander Paes recently reminisced his journey over the years while also rating India's chances in the sport at the upcoming Hangzhou Asian Games 2023, starting from September 23.
Paes, who has inspired a whole generation of Indian youngsters to take up the sport, has some crowning achievements to his name, including winning a staggering 18 Grand Slams.
Answering questions posed by Sportskeeda at India's first-ever official Wimbledon screening, Paes took a trip down memory lane as he spoke about his journey over the years, while also suggesting in which category of tennis India has the best chance at winning an Asian Games medal.
Read excerpts from the interaction below:
Q: How do you perceive the rise of Indian tennis? How have you been the pioneer for many tennis players over the world and for almost everyone in India? How do you see the sport rising now?
Leander Paes: I personally feel like I have had a very blessed career in India. We have all grown up playing gully cricket and football in the back gardens or in the back gullies. Growing up in Calcutta, we used to play with bare feet. Back then, there were only Bata shoes. Nowadays, we can have an option of 30 brands. The list just goes on.
In the last four decades of having such a blessed career, I feel like tennis has given me a lot. It is a vehicle for me not just to have played around the world one time but 31 times. You go to all the tournaments during the ATP tour. Just travel the world year after year after year playing. I feel really lucky as a young boy to get this chance.
Life has come full circle. I left home when I was 12. I won my first Wimbledon when I was 16. Then the US Open when I was 17/18 - the juniors. I won two titles in 1999 at Wimbledon - the doubles and the mixed doubles. That comes with a lot of hard work. To win one title in Wimbledon in your whole career is a lifetime's perseverance.
The amount of physical strength, mental strength and endurance to win two Wimbledon titles takes a huge, mammoth amount of hardwork. For me, that has been my life's journey. Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to represent India. Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to prove that even we (Indians) can win Wimbledon.
I gave up my passion for football to take up tennis. About four decades ago when I started, we did not have any training facilities, we did not have tennis racquets - we had wooden racquets. We did not have floodlights. We did not have equipment. We did not have knowledge about gym or diet or whey protein - fancy things that kids have now.
So I feel like the way I have conducted myself and shown passion for playing for the flag hopefully has inspired many to come. Rohan Bopanna's performance this year to get to the semi-final has been fantastic. Lot of respect for that. You look at what Sania (Mirza) has done. You look at what Mahesh has done. To get to 36 Grand Slam finals is a lifetime's passion and perseverance.
I feel honored to be in the school textbooks. I have a lot of honor and respect for everyone. Life is all about passion and giving respect to people. It has been a great journey of 31 years - to motivate everyone, every young child.
Q: How do you view India's chances at Asian Games 2023, keeping in mind Rohan Bopanna's recent success at Wimbledon?
A: I think in the Asian Games - in the men's doubles we have good opportunity of doing well. We have multiple options in the doubles. We've got quite a few players who can play. In the singles, it'll be a little tougher but in the doubles, we have a really great chance at winning a medal. Maybe even a gold medal. It's just about the teams - who they pick to play with Rohan and who will be the second team - that will be important.
