The ageless, peerless Leander Paes

“He is like a flying jumping bean, a bundle of hyper-kinetic energy, with the tour's quickest hands."

It was this masterly observation by Andre Agassi that best describes the energy that flows when one of the world’s greatest and most respected contemporary doubles and mixed doubles player takes to court. His on-court dynamism and passion is such that it invariably has a positive impact on his partner, who raises the performance to unknown horizons.

Agassi should know because the then brash American and everyone’s favourite was demolished by the unassuming Indian, who won a historic singles bronze in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

As a tennis professional who has been there and done that, none can come close to the extraordinary exploits achieved by the one and only Leander Adrian Paes, who seems to be getting younger by the day. As the ageless wonder, he has gone beyond the likes of Ken Rosewall and Jimmy Connors who more or less were out of the tour while turning 40 years.

However, the 41-year-old phenomenon appears to be in no such hurry.

Perhaps, what he achieved at the Rod Laver Arena on Super Sunday will inspire him to go on and on till he realises his next big goal, "It will feel great if I can make it to Rio for the 2016 Olympic Games. I am not sure whether I will get there. I am fit and capable of pulling of a triumph like I did today. I am as motivated as I was when I made my Davis Cup debut in 1990, a year before turning professional.’

Not bad for one who has already six Olympics in his envious kitty!

By the way, what he did on Sunday while winning the 15th career Grand Slam title in the company of Martina Hingis was nothing short of the stuff of legends and added another ever-lasting chapter to the sport’s doubles folklore.

But then that is how Paes has been-enduring physical stress by defying age in a ruthless competitive sport that is getting crammed by extraordinary young talents and conquering mental agonies and surviving split partnerships on both the professional and personal fronts.

His ability to turn the tide in Davis Cup matches and inspirations in doubles come straight from Hingis’ heart.

"I am thankful to Martina (Navratilova) for getting me partner Paes. Not even in my wildest dreams would I have believed that 20 years later I'd be standing here again," said an excited Hingis - winner of three successive singles Australian Open titles from 1997 to 1999. The Grand Dame of tennis had herself partnered Paes to clinch the Australian Open and Wimbledon mixed doubles crowns in 2003. On his part none can deny that he has been a passionate nationalist because as he puts it, ‘I play for India, for the flag and for people. None can be in two minds my integrity."

That was an exasperated Paes just ahead of the London Olympics and the sham of a run up tennis had.
Meanwhile, the seventh seed Indo-Swiss pair turned back the clock to serve past third seeds Daniel Nestor and Kristina Mladenovic. Paes clinched his seventh mixed doubles crown, while Hingis, who came out of retirement for the second time a couple of years back, collected her 11th doubles Slam apart from her five singles titles.

Although, his playing may appear a bit strange to the purist, they are effective, which get evidenced by his performances and title triumphs.

"I love playing for India, whether it is the Davis Cup, Olympics or the Asian Games," he had remarked not long ago. A look at his career and it will become a fact of the matter. Paes, who donned the grease paint for the 2013 film, Rajdhani Express, is one of the best volleyers that the game has known and his mercurial interceptions rank foremost in the business.

After all, sport runs in his blood. His father Vece is an Olympic hockey international and mother Jennifer is a former Indian basketball captain. Paes goes into the 2015 season teaming up with South African Raven Klaasen, his 99th partner on the circuit.

Going by his memorable deeds, it is certain that he has one hell of a great start to the season even as his personal life in turmoil.

The legend of the ageless wonder has just got magnified. It will surprise no one in particular if the stretch of longevity that scales a pinnacle that only a gifted player going by the name of is capable of. That he is humble, despite the herculean exploits, remains the best signature-passport, of one of the country's finest ambassadors.

By: Sridhar K Penna