Agencies
Paris, June 4: Doubles veterans Leander Paes and Martina Hingis completed a full set of Grand Slam doubles titles here Friday, adding the missing piece to their collections in an emotional mixed final at the French Open. Lee, who will turn 43 in two weeks once more proved that age is not a factor when the heart and body is willing. The same holds true for Hingis who at 35 still continues to amaze the world.
Paes captured the first of his 18 Grand Slam titles on Court Philippe Chatrier in 1999 when he teamed up with fellow Indian Mahesh Bhupathi to win the men’s doubles title.
Over the course of the next 17 years, Paes criss-crossed the world several times over as he won men’s doubles titles at all four Majors and the mixed at the Australian and US Opens and Wimbledon.
The missing link was at Roland Garros and Friday, Paes finally made sure his doubles CV was complete.
Spurred on during the closing rallies Friday by a shout of ‘come on, old man’ from the stands, Paes made the telling intervention on the final point, stretching far to his right to scoop up a Ivan Dodig groundstroke with a volley that the Croat drove into the net.
“Today (Friday) I complete the Grand Slam with Martina, a player who inspires me,” Paes said courtside.
“I am glad you were able to complete the (career) Grand Slam, the one that was missing from your collection with me today,” Hingis told the Indian.
It has indeed been a great journey for the ever-present face of Indian tennis. Along with the 10 mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, Paes has won eight men’s doubles title. He has played with 107 partners in men’s and 24 in mixed doubles. Some of them like Grigor Dimitrov were not even born when Paes represented India in the Davis Cup for the first time.
Just goes to show that perseverance does pay for a certain Leander Paes.
