Younger partners for Olympic glory for Paes
India's tennis ace Leander Paes told NDTV on Friday that his aim is to claim an Olympic medal in the doubles section. The 38-year-old confessed that both he and former partner in Mahesh Bhupathi split because the objective of a medal required partnership with younger players.
India's tennis ace Leander Paes told NDTV on Friday that his aim is to claim an Olympic medal in the doubles section. The 38-year-old confessed that both he and former partner in Mahesh Bhupathi split because the objective of a medal required partnership with younger players.
"My next aim is an Olympic medal in doubles. It would be the epitome of my career. Also want to complete a career Grand Slam in Mixed Doubles," he said, having begun the year on a high after winning the men's double title in the recently concluded Australian Open. " I want to win the medal for my flag and my people," he added.
Paes partnered 31-year-old Radek to the crown Down Under and made it to the final of the mixed doubles with 25-year-old Elena Vesnina. "Mahesh and I split because we both needed younger legs to play with with. I hadn't won a single Grand Slam last year, and I was desperate to win one. It wasn't happening with Mahesh," he said and added that even Bhupathi needed fresher legs to improve his game.