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regular-article-logo Wednesday, 08 May 2024

Leander Paes focuses on young aspirants

My passion is giving opportunities to the youth so that they can live their dreams, says Leander

Elora Sen Calcutta Published 13.02.23, 04:29 AM
(From left) Vece Paes, Gurbux Singh, Leander Paes and Zeeshan Ali at Saturday Club on Sunday.

(From left) Vece Paes, Gurbux Singh, Leander Paes and Zeeshan Ali at Saturday Club on Sunday. Rashbehari Das

With the Indian tennis scene not really looking very rosy these days, Leander Paes, an icon in his own right, wishes to assimilate his experience of playing at the top level for three decades along with the knowledge that his father, Olympian Vece Paes, brings to the table to chalk out a roadmap for young aspirants.

“That is my goal now. I am still trying to find out ways. My passion is giving opportunities to the youth so that they can live their dreams,” he said on Sunday, after the completion of the Dr Vece Paes Medicos Tennis Tournament at the Saturday Club. Paes also hinted that he was working on a biopic.

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“It will be a story of how Baba (Dr Paes) won his Olympic medal in 1972... You all will understand why a young boy growing up in Calcutta wanted to emulate his father,” he said.

Both Leander and India Davis Cup coach Zeeshan Ali expressed sadness at the current state of the India Davis Cup team.

“It is unfortunate that players often choose not to play in the Cup and go for Tour matches to earn points. It was very different when we were playing. But times have changed now,” Zeeshan said.

Leander, while saying he had huge respect for the current crop of players, said it was sad that Indian didn’t even have a singles player in the top 300. “I don’t think that has ever happened,” he added.

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