SOMEWHERE at the back of Leander Paes’ mind, there has always been an area of doubt. Long before the doctors found that brain lesion, Leander, in times of introspection, must have wondered how for over a decade his five-foot-ten frame has survived in a sport dominated by giant kids who carry rocket launchers in their racket cases. A weak serve, a weaker backhand, a small frame and a smaller support system. Despite the shortcomings, Leander today is a top doubles pro and his Davis Cup tales could give ‘David and Goliath’ a run for its money. So what’s the trick? Where’s the catch? A case study in tri-colour induced adrenalin, Leander has all his life defied logic, redefined himself and carried on by sheer strength of his will. It doesn’t come as a surprise then that even before the doctors could come out with the biopsy reports, there was a general consensus among his army of fans that whatever be the enemy, Leander can and will put up a fight. Since his early childhood, Kolkata-born Leander has been on an obstacle course. During his pre-teen days at the BAT Academy in Chennai he fought the demons at night by practicing his forehand in front of the mirror. Hours on court didn’t teach him how to deal with the trauma of his parents’ split, but somehow he managed it on his own. A breathtaking Davis Cup debut playing alongside Ramesh Krishnan at 16 did throw him into the spotlight but he learned the hard facts of the pro tour soon. The ‘chip and charge’ doubles tactics did help him to the Wimbledon junior singles title in 1990. But they didn’t quite work against the real men. Whenever he wore the India crest, though, these seemingly inadequate devices foxed the best in the business: Wayne Ferreira, Goran Ivanisevic, Henri Leconte, Jacob Hlasek. It also won him the bronze medal at the Atlanta Olympics, 1996. The highs of the Davis Cup did help him get over the singles’ lows on tour. Not for long, though, because Leander redefined himself for his survival on the circuit. With old mate Mahesh Bhupathi for company, Leander’s stay at the Slams increased. As titles fell in his kitty so did fame and fortune, but subsequently friction too followed. Split- patch up- split. After the breakup, Bhupathi seemed the better placed. Unlike his stranded partner, his tie up with Max Mirnyi was rewarding. Time for Leander Part III. With tennis legend Martina Navratilova it was a symbiotic relationship. The last flicker of Martina’s dying light ignited the fire inside the player who worshipped her while growing up in south Kolkata. Just when the pair was gearing to grab a third Slam at the US Open next month, comes another twist in the tale. There are doubts whether, at 30, Leander has it in him to make a comeback. His opponents are getting younger, his body’s getting older, the pace getting just that much faster. But there are two words which, when whispered in his ear, are guaranteed to get him back on his feet in record time: Olympic Games. In the Greek legend from which he gets his name, Leander would swim across the sea every night to be with his woman, Hero. Our man will do that, and climb a mountain, to play for India at Athens next year. Don’t bet against it.
