Gambit Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 I love playing five sets: Paes Deepti Patwardhan in London It was not the best match or the biggest crowd. Leander Paes [Images] and Martin Damm had just completed their first round match on Court No 16, beating Chris Haggard of South Africa and Marcin Matkowski of Poland 7-6, 6-3, 7-5. But, as soon as the game was over, the entire Indian contingent was converging upon Paes. And he obliged each of them; with autographs and pictures, and small talk. There are some celebrities who spend a lifetime building walls between themselves and their fans; there are others who spend a lifetime destroying them. Leander Paes is fast becoming the Andre Agassi [Images] of India. Not only because, like the legendary American, he has extended his career well into the 30's, giving it an ageless hue, but for the sheer affection he generates from his fans. Like Agassi, Paes is one of the few celebrities who reach out to their fans, bond with them, make them feel welcome, important and part of their success, and bow and say thank you for coming, and mean it. "Huh! I don't see it that way. It's only people's perception," says Paes of the Agassi parallel. "I am just a simple boy from Goa [Images] who has worked very hard to get here. "I guess they just love the passion with which I play. "They know they are going to see a good game, they enjoy the show. It's great to have people from India, or some of the locals [during Wimbledon] come and support me year after year. Be it when I won my bronze medal, or during Davis Cup, or four years ago [when he had a brain cyst removed] the support has been humbling." Counting his days as a junior, the Indian is now in his 19th year at Wimbledon and has added three more triumphs -- with Mahesh Bhupathi [Images] in the famous summer of 1999, when the 'Indian Express', as they were known, reached the final of all four Grand Slams, and two mixed doubles titles, with Lisa Raymond (1999) and Martina Navratilova (2003). Paes, who won the 1990 boys' singles championship, at 34, is still India's best hope to win the grass court Grand Slam. "It is disappointing to see there aren't many youngsters coming through," says India's Davis Cup captain. "Sania [Mirza] is doing very well in the women's section, but we need some depth in the men's. We had some of them here, playing qualifiers, but what we need is for them to be in the main draw." This is the lack of depth Paes has often countered as India's captain in Davis Cup. When nerves or injuries have inflicted the youngsters, he has taken over the responsibility, stood up and been counted. In the last two years, when India needed him in the live fifth rubber and to keep Group I relegation at bay, Paes came up with the results. "Me playing against Pakistan or Kazakhstan does not mean I don't have confidence in the boys," he insists. "I think, as a captain, the biggest mistake you would make is to not play yourself. I took the decision which I thought was the best at the time, which I thought would make India win. "As a captain I am in a no-win situation, because even if you lose you are criticised, and even if you win you are criticised." Playing for India, with an unflinching commitment for the past 17 years, has meant Paes is ready for a five-set challenge whenever it comes. With the ATP bringing in the match tie-break to shorten matches and make doubles more spectator-friendly, Wimbledon remains the only tournament to hold best-of-five sets matches for men. "Bring it on," grins Paes. "The longer the match the better chance we have of winning it. "I love playing five sets. I'd take that any day, because fitness is not an issue. I don't feel my age; I think I am a lot fitter now than I was seven years ago. Not that I didn't work hard then, but as you grow old you have to work harder." Paes added momentum to that fitness campaign six months ago, hiring Czech triathlete David Vider to help him train. The results are there to see. A leaner frame and a tailor-made serve-and-volley game for grass make up a lethal combination at Wimbledon. "You see the trophy upstairs, I'm going for that!" Smiling and carrying people with him, he keeps the caravan rolling.http://www.rediff.com/sports/2007/jul/02paes.htm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted July 2, 2007 Author Share Posted July 2, 2007 My absolute favourite Indian sportsperson of all time! This guy is the epitome of courage, heart and patriotism. He has always given his best for the country and fought back from a life threatening brain tumour to win Wimbledon with Navratilova! I will never ever forget his epic wins over Ivanisevic,Ferreira,Sampras and the bronze at Atlanta '96 over Meligeni. What a legend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
varun Posted July 2, 2007 Share Posted July 2, 2007 One thing that never ceases to amaze me is his ability to lift up his game while playing for the country. He's done it numerous times during the Davis Cups. An over-achiever if ever there was one, he's achieved much more that one would think based on his ability alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketics Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Thank you PAES/BHUPATHI FOR REPRESENTING INDIA IN OLYMPICS AND REACHING QUATERS. these two Indian players have given us some great time to cherish in our tennis history. i don't think they will every play together after this, we will also not see them in next OLYMPICS THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES.. SAD DAY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SachDan Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Good that they were ready to represent India despite their personal differences.How one wished them winning that trophy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
punjabi_khota Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 buddhe khoosat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravid Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 sad day would be a guy like sachin retiring... bah.. thank u for representing indiaaaaa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetle Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Yeah...thanks!:two_thumbs_up: And for God's sake leave each other alone now. Stop acting like a divorcing couple....:P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veer Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 The Leander Paes Thread Chance for Grand Double A CORRESPONDENT & AGENCIES New York: Leander Paes continued to sizzle at the US Open as the ace Indian stormed into the finals of the men’s doubles and mixed doubles competitions with his respective partners here. Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy breezed into the final of the men’s doubles on Wednesday beating the Argentine pair of Maximo Gonzalez and Juan Monaco 6-2, 6-0. Gonzalez and Monaco had beaten the Brazilian-Serbian duo of Bruno Soares and Dusan Vemic 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 for a place in the semis. Paes and Dlouhy faced no resistance from their opponents as they broke the Argentine pair in the fifth game of the first set to take a 3-2 lead. The pair never looked back after they wrapped up the first set in quick time. Gonzalez and Monaco had no answer to Dlouhy’s big service and Paes’s shrewd serve and volley approach. The Indo-Czech pair won a phenomenal 86 per cent of their first serve points while Gonzalez and Monaco had a bad outing at the Louis Armstrong Stadium getting only 42 per cent of their first serves on target. Earlier, Paes and Dlouhy earned a spot in the semi-finals after defeating error prone Swede-Finn pair of Robert Lindstedt and Jarko Nieminen 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 in the quarter-final clash, which lasted over two hours. In the doubles quarters, Paes-Dlouhy cashed in on the mistakes of their opponents as Lindstedt-Nieminen wasted three break points in the first set while Paes-Dlouhy converted the one and only chance to go ahead. In the second set, both the teams converted two of the three chances but Paes and Dlouhy faltered in the tie-breaker, allowing the rivals to stretch the issue to the third set. In the decisive final set, Lindstedt-Nieminen squandered four breakpoints while the Indo-Czech duo managed to convert one of the three chances to clinch the contest. In the mixed doubles semi-finals, fifth seeded Paes and Cara Black of Zimbabwe pipped the Swede-Russian pair of Jonas Bjorkman and Nadia Petrova 6-4, 6-4. In the summit clash of the mixed doubles Paes-Black will face off against Liezel Huber of the US and Briton Jamie Murray, who beat American pair of Jill Craybas and Eric Butorac 6-3, 6-4 in their semi-final encounter. Mahesh Bhupathi has already crashed out of both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles events. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetle Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Wins mixed doubles.....................:two_thumbs_up::two_thumbs_up: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetle Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Paes Black win mixed doubles! :tee::rock::elefant::dancing::marchmellow::alienbooty::dancing2: Sorry mods....there is no one in "other sports"to celebrate with!:P :DBaad mein shift kar dena please... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravid Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 us open :yay: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
satishg Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 super go Leander :yay::two_thumbs_up: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desi Cartman Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 :congrats: how old is he now ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suraj Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Wow another feather in the cap for Paes was the final even shown in US??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaiN_KiLLeR Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 He will be playing the men's doubles final today against the deadly Bryan twins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dravid Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 its on right now.. on CBS 11 3-3 right now...1st set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suraj Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Its all over, Paes loses men's doubles but the man plays his heart out!! What a Tiger!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaiN_KiLLeR Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 lost 7/6 7/6 tough luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketics Posted June 6, 2009 Share Posted June 6, 2009 Congrats and hats off Leander Paes Just creating this thread incase someone missed out on the news that Leander paes and his partner Dlouhy have won the Famous grandslam. AN INDIAN LEGEND = LEANDER PAES. WELL DONE SIR.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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