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Saturday, September 16, 2006 |
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Saturday, September 16, 2006 |
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His exuberance is infectious. His tennis is exciting. His resolve is unshakeable. Leander Paes might not be a spring chicken any more, but he’s back to his winning ways, writes
Vikramdeep Johal
In the summer of 1990, two 17-year-old Indians made quite a splash in England. While Sachin Tendulkar scored his first Test hundred at Manchester, Leander Paes clinched the junior singles title at Wimbledon. Over the past 16 years, both have made invaluable contribution to their respective sports. However, while Sachin is talked about or feted even when he is not playing, Leander has to produce something extraordinary every time to attract attention. That he’s able to do it every now and then shows how great a player he is. Leander has won seven Grand Slam titles — three less than his one-time partner Mahesh Bhupathi — but he has had a greater influence on contemporary Indian tennis. In a sport synonymous with individual glory, Leander stands out for his team spirit and selflessness. He has single-handedly won many a Davis Cup encounter for India. His record in the premier tennis team event is better than that of Ramesh Krishnan and Vijay Amritraj. Earlier this year, he fashioned a 3-2 victory against Pakistan in Mumbai, braving severe cramps to win the deciding reverse singles match. So indispensable is Leander to the Indian team that it often struggles in his absence. He himself laments that young players like Prakash Amritraj, Rohan Bopanna and Harsh Mankad are still not good enough to take over from him. In doubles, his enthusiasm and energy is infectious. The fist-pumping, the chest-thumping, the vociferous roaring — no partner has remained unaffected by all this, be it Bhupathi, Martina Navratilova or Martin Damm. On winning the Wimbledon mixed doubles final in 2003, Leander expressed his admiration and respect for Navratilova by repeatedly bowing before her as if she was the Queen of England. The tennis legend couldn’t have asked for a more fitting tribute. True grit
His fighting spirit is the stuff that inspirational stories in Reader’s Digest are made of. The son of hockey Olympian Vece Paes and former basketball player Jennifer, Leander took to sports, particularly football, like a duck to water. However, he suffered convulsions at an early age, which ruled out his participation in body-contact sports. When he was 12, his parents sent him to Vijay Amritraj’s Britannia Tennis Academy in Chennai. The professional training honed his skills and helped him emerge as a bright new kid on the court. In 1990, it was a baptism of fire for him when he was blooded into the Davis Cup team for the tie against Japan at Chandigarh. He and Zeeshan Ali won the doubles match in a five-setter to put India on the path to victory. Later that year, he won the Wimbledon boys singles title and rose to the number one spot in world junior rankings. There have been several instances in Indian tennis history when talented juniors have failed to excel in the big league. There was a presentiment that Leander would fade away like Zeeshan Ali and Ramesh Krishnan. However, he let his racket do the talking with one sterling performance after another. Leander went down fighting to Andre Agassi in the semifinal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, but he upstaged Fernando Meligeni in the playoff to win a much-awaited medal (bronze) for India. In those days, he was regarded as a better player in singles than doubles. In 1998, when his singles ranking had reached an all-time high (73), he decided to focus totally on doubles in Grand Slam and ATP events. It was a very significant move, which soon paid rich dividends. Deadly duo
Leander won his first Grand Slam title in 1999 when he and Bhupathi emerged triumphant at the French Open (Till then, the best performance by an Indian men’s pair had been Vijay and Anand Amritraj’s entry into the semifinals at Wimbledon in 1976). That was a glorious year for him as he also clinched the Wimbledon men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles in the company of Bhupathi and Lisa Raymond, respectively. The "Lee-Hesh" duo went from strength to strength, winning the 2001 French Open crown as well. They were aware of each other’s strengths and weaknesses — one was better at service (Bhupathi) and the other adept at making quickfire returns. Temperamentally, too, the aggressive and demonstrative Leander was an ideal foil for his low-profile partner. Unfortunate split Just when it seemed that there was no stopping the two, cracks started to appear in their relationship, leading to an unfortunate split. Their families and others tried to bring about a reconciliation, but it proved to be short-lived. Both chose to go their separate ways on the circuit, even though "national interest" has brought them together occasionally. Setting aside their differences, they reunited for the 2004 Athens Olympics, where they missed the bronze medal by a whisker. Incidentally, Bhupathi has won only one Grand Slam men’s doubles title since their separation (with Max Mirnyi at the 2002 US Open), while Leander ended a five-year drought with his victory alongside Martin Damm at the US Open last week. One is tempted to wonder whether their record would’ve been better had they carried on together, but the fact remains that both of them were not keen to continue. Future plans Leander has expressed his eagerness to return to singles action, provided his ageing body can bear the strain. At 33, he doesn’t have many playing years left. He would also like to spend more time with his off-court partner Rhea, an Art of Living expert, and their infant daughter. Still, he has set his sights on the 2008 Beijing Olympics, which will be his fifth if he makes it. Going by his famed never-say-die attitude, it won’t be a surprise if he does.
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Wins the US Open men’s doubles title with Martin Damm