‘On the periphery of the whole terrace, I’ve got 176 bougainvillaeas’: Leander Paes gives an intimate tour of his Mumbai home

“On the periphery of the whole terrace, I’ve got 176 bougainvillaeas,” he says with a grin. “Why 176? Because my birthday is the 17th of June.”

The greenery, he jokes, comes from his Bengali and Portuguese genes, which fuel his love for plants and natural aesthetics. The peaceful, sunlit terrace offers a stark contrast to the fierce competitor the world once saw on centre courts.

As the camera pans across his living space, mounted on the walls are chronological photos, grand slam memorabilia, and signed mementoes from some of the greatest names in sport.

One standout moment: he holds up a shirt signed by none other than Pelé, gifted personally to him.

And then, with a cheeky grin, Paes points to a Wimbledon towel, revealing that it once belonged to his doubles partner Martina Hingis. “She stole mine, so I took hers,” he joked.

From his Arjuna Award (1990) to the Junior Wimbledon trophy he won that same year, Paes carefully walks the interviewer through the evolution of his career. The conversation quickly deepens as he reflects on some of his toughest and most defining moments, particularly at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where he earned a bronze medal for India.

“Andre Agassi beat me that day,” Paes recalls, “but I had two set points. India had two set points in the first set. He was just brilliant… his mental game, his ability to find ways.”

Paes also reflects on how he never intended to pursue tennis. His first love was football, followed by a string of sports in which he excelled: cricket, swimming, boxing, track, and hockey.

“Tennis was not even my fifth choice,” he laughs. “For a tennis player, I’m short. The average height in the ’80s was 6’1”; I’m 5’10” on a good day.”

The struggles behind the shine

Despite his polished trophies and glamourous accolades, Paes is candid about the difficult early days of his career, living out of locker rooms, travelling with just $250 in traveller’s cheques for months on end, and constantly hustling between ITF tournaments across continents.

“You’d fly all the way to Costa Rica, lose in the first round, and that’s it. No money. Nothing. You just go home,” Paes shared.

But what kept him going? A personal connection to legacy and purpose. Every Sunday after church, as a child, he would polish his father’s Olympic medal and ask him questions about the five rings and the goddess of Athena. The goal, even then, was clear: “I always wanted to prove that we Indians can be world-beaters. That we can be the best in our field globally.”

Perhaps the most astonishing part of the interview is when Paes details the extreme dedication he poured into the sport: “I woke up at midnight every single night. Did 10,000 skips. 2,500 abs. Shadow practice in front of a mirror surrounded by candles so the warden wouldn’t catch me.”

“It’s not luck. It’s 10,000 hours. Three million repetitions in 10 years. That’s how you master anything,” the player shared.

Leander’s story doesn’t end with him. His daughter, Aiyana, is currently training in Barcelona to become a third-generation Olympian—following in the footsteps of her grandfather (hockey) and father (tennis). There’s pride in his voice when he speaks of her, tempered with the wisdom of someone who knows just how hard the road ahead will be.

“You’ve got to be a little pagol [mad] to do this. It’s not for the faint-hearted,” Paes admitted.

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