The voice on the phone said “Naresh sir” and I knew who it was. Leander Paes from Australia. “Tomorrow I am playing my first match at 4 pm in the men’s doubles.” His voice was bubbling with joy. From the sinister shadow of the life threatening big C, Leander is back in the glorious sunshine of a Grand Slam tournament.

Having shed 45 lbs that he had put on due to steroid treatment, he is back to his normal weight. Leander said Martina Navratilova looked at him in disbelief and said: “How did you do it, liposuction?” Intensive training for six-seven hours a day has given him a fat-muscle ratio of 5.5% but Leander has no illusions of instant success.

“I am not as rusty as I thought I would be. My movement and reflexes need to be sharpened up. It will take me five-six months to get back to my best. Since I was nine years of age it was my ambition to participate in four Olympics. I am determined to do my very best and it seems that I am back on track now. I am so happy, I am like a kid in a candy shop.”

After an exhausting 19 years on the circuit away from home, the fire still rages within. Navratilova on Australian TV spoke in glowing terms about his behaviour and sportsmanship and said: “It was a treat to play with him.” To be paid such a tribute by the greatest woman player of all time, specially the hard-crusted no nonsense Navratilova, is unimaginable.

It was a great honour for Leander to be invited by the BBC celebrating 50 years of television to give the prize for the Lifetime Achievement Award to guess who — Navratilova. The first she knew about it was when a shervani-clad Leander crept up behind her during the ceremony. Surprised, Navratilova is reported to have squealed in delight and hugged him affectionately.

With her youthful enthusiasm, hard work, discipline and dedication, Navratilova has inspired Leander to challenge his acceptance of approaching his twilight years!

Our Davis Cup tie against New Zealand follows the Australian Open. Leander still needs time and told me: “No way can I be ready to play in the singles.” Rohan Bopanna, our brightest prospect, is nursing an injured shoulder. To add to this, Prakash Amritraj pulled out of men’s doubles on Wednesday with strained/torn quadriceps.

Prakash has informed Leander that he is going back to Chennai. Mahesh Bhupathi has declined to play in the singles. So we will be left with the good, old and faithful Harsh Mankad and the one who replaces Prakash.

It seems that luck has run out for India. But, sometimes the moment produces the man.