Profile: Leander Paes
One of India's most successful professional tennis player, Leander Paes has touched remarkable heights in the sport in a career which has spanned several years and taken him through numerous Grand Slams and 6 Olympics.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: July 21, 2012 11:05 AM IST
Leander Paes' Profile:
Sport: Tennis
Right-handed
Age: 39
About Leander Paes:
One of India's most successful professional tennis player, Leander Paes has touched remarkable heights in the sport in a career which has spanned several years and has taken him through numerous Grand Slams and 6 Olympics.
Born in Goa and brought up in Kolkata, Paes has been a player whose impact has been as much on the court as it has been off it. 50 career titles in doubles category and a bronze medal in the 1996 Olympics are small but extremely significant insights to his career.
What has driven this player through the years is skill, talent and hard-work. By self-admission however, passion for tennis has played an equally important role in helping Paes perform. Not many get to play in 6 Olympics and Paes recently told NDTV that he himself never dreamt of it. Now that he has another shot at another medal, the seasoned campaigner wants to make the most of it.
His career has not been free of controversies. On and off the court, Paes' life has been under limelight but it has not had a deterring effect on his game. His partnership with Mahesh Bhupathi was one of the most threatening for the opposition, for several years. In fact, of the 50 men's doubles title to his credit, most have come with Bhupathi as his partner. Yet, their 'fallout' was quite bitter and was followed by a war of words - not necessarily from the two players.
He was recently also in the eye of the storm when he said he did not want to pair with a player of low rank for the London Olympics. Paes however has revealed that he is ready for the Olympics and will give his best with doubles partner Vishnu Vardhan and mixed doubles partner Sania Mirza.
A product of La Martiniere in Calcutta, Paes is one of the most experienced players in the Indian contingent for London. Controversies aside, he will bring all his experience to help him perform well in Wimbledon. That he made it to the final of the mixed doubles event here recently will only add to his confidence.
Other facts about Leander Paes:
He is the grand-son of Bengali poet Michael Mashusudan Dutt
He was dating Bollywood actress Mahima Chaudhary but is now married to Rhea Pillai and has a daughter - Aiyana.
Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi were together nicknamed Indian Express
Paes and Bhupathi have a winning streak of 23 straight games, a David Cup record