Leander Paes wins 700th Doubles Match; Will Roger Federer be his 100th Partner?
At French Open, Leander Paes hit a career milestone when he won his 700th doubles match on Wednesday. The Indian tennis ace is playing with his 99th partner, Daniel Nestor.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: May 28, 2015 11:58 AM IST
Leander Paes hit a career milestone when he won his 700th doubles match on Wednesday. Playing with his 99th career partner, 42-year-old Daniel Nestor, the 41-year-old Indian legend defeated Australians James Duckworth and Chris Guccione 6-2, 5-7, 7-5 in the first round at French Open.
"We'll keep Danny (Nestor) around for a while," said Paes, laughing. "But, for sure, there's something nice in store for Nos. 100 and 101." It is rumoured that tennis king Roger Federer could be Paes' 100th partner.
Paes has captured 55 doubles titles, eight of them at the Grand Slams. He won his last Grand Slam doubles trophy at the 2013 US Open with Radek Stepanek to become the only 40-year-old in history to win a Grand Slam doubles title.
A doubles specialist, Paes also has seven mixed doubles titles, the latest with Martina Hingis at the Australian Open this year. Paes had won the 1996 Olympic bronze medal in singles in Atlanta.
With so many partners, Paes does have his favourites.
"I think I definitely do have favorites," he said. "Obviously, as athletes when you win a Grand Slam or do something big, especially when you play with someone for two, three years, you build such a bond and a friendship with them, and that's what's important," Paes was quoted in ESPN.
Paes partnered Venezuelan Nicolas Pereira, with whom he played his first ATP career final at the 1995 New Haven tournament. That event changed his tennis life for good as a doubles player.