Leander Paes is a lone wolf. He is also aggressive, undiplomatic and snooty. If I had won 10 Grand Slams I would probably earn the right to shoot my mouth off. That’s a personality issue…what does it have to do with the way he plays tennis or does his country proud on the court.
There is a history to his bluntness. Several years ago when Leander was a kid the only person who had faith in his talent was his father. But there was not enough money and I recall very clearly one abortive effort to gather funds from the NRI community to send him for training abroad. I don’t think anyone stepped up and Leander may have got funding from elsewhere later but to a great extent he didn’t have any mentors in the early years. Nor did he get any joy from us because who the hell was Leander Paes.
That could be reason for what we see as a chip on his shoulder. He truly believes he doesn’t owe anyone anything so tough bananas if you don’t like what I am saying, I’ll say it anyway.
Not that it is an excuse for rudeness and insensitivity but if players like Martina Navratilova and Hingis find him sufferable and delightful then there may well be a side he keeps hidden off the circuit because he has been hurt too often by the home pyramid.
Occasionally you get the feeling that Leander feels he is the odd one out in the Indian tennis lobby and the others are all a cabal and that is why he is always coming out of a corner throwing punches. It is also very easy to conclude that people are jealous of you and your success which, if you keep brandishing about like it was a sword is sure to cut others to the quick.
So he has adopted brashness as his armor.
Probably and this cannot be totally proven but the ‘bad behavior’ is increasing as the sun begins to set on a splendid career and with the party almost over Leander’s lead over the others in international triumphs is so vast that it has paradoxically isolated him from the management of Indian tennis as the next logical step.
I don’t think he has even been asked to bring his experience to the table and this could also rankle. Take Vijay Amritraj’s career after retirement as a representative. It was sterling. Charming, courteous, well respected he did as much off court as he did on court.
Leander’s PR skills are largely absent. You can badmouth him as much as you like but if he wants to comment on the best options that should have been exercised by India, sure, he has earned that right.
As for the comments he has made on the Olympic selection if you had a Paes track record and had won every major title wouldn’t you be a bit peeved you were not partnering Sania in the matches.
His argument that the best team possible was not put on show has merit even if it is not been said diplomatically.
He also shows up as an acrimonious John McEnroe against a backdrop in India where sportspeople are usually silent and submissive and deathly afraid of commenting on the officials who manage our sports and can easily ruin a career for a slight they might feel.
If there was more upfront in your face honesty in itself the Leander Paes remarks would be seen as mild schoolroom stuff, petulant yet scarcely toxic as he has been accused.
Then again, you have to ask; Leander the tennis player or Leander the ungracious dinner guest. Take your pick, you cannot have both.
There is a history to his bluntness. Several years ago when Leander was a kid the only person who had faith in his talent was his father. But there was not enough money and I recall very clearly one abortive effort to gather funds from the NRI community to send him for training abroad. I don’t think anyone stepped up and Leander may have got funding from elsewhere later but to a great extent he didn’t have any mentors in the early years. Nor did he get any joy from us because who the hell was Leander Paes.
That could be reason for what we see as a chip on his shoulder. He truly believes he doesn’t owe anyone anything so tough bananas if you don’t like what I am saying, I’ll say it anyway.
Not that it is an excuse for rudeness and insensitivity but if players like Martina Navratilova and Hingis find him sufferable and delightful then there may well be a side he keeps hidden off the circuit because he has been hurt too often by the home pyramid.
Occasionally you get the feeling that Leander feels he is the odd one out in the Indian tennis lobby and the others are all a cabal and that is why he is always coming out of a corner throwing punches. It is also very easy to conclude that people are jealous of you and your success which, if you keep brandishing about like it was a sword is sure to cut others to the quick.
So he has adopted brashness as his armor.
Probably and this cannot be totally proven but the ‘bad behavior’ is increasing as the sun begins to set on a splendid career and with the party almost over Leander’s lead over the others in international triumphs is so vast that it has paradoxically isolated him from the management of Indian tennis as the next logical step.
I don’t think he has even been asked to bring his experience to the table and this could also rankle. Take Vijay Amritraj’s career after retirement as a representative. It was sterling. Charming, courteous, well respected he did as much off court as he did on court.
Leander’s PR skills are largely absent. You can badmouth him as much as you like but if he wants to comment on the best options that should have been exercised by India, sure, he has earned that right.
As for the comments he has made on the Olympic selection if you had a Paes track record and had won every major title wouldn’t you be a bit peeved you were not partnering Sania in the matches.
His argument that the best team possible was not put on show has merit even if it is not been said diplomatically.
He also shows up as an acrimonious John McEnroe against a backdrop in India where sportspeople are usually silent and submissive and deathly afraid of commenting on the officials who manage our sports and can easily ruin a career for a slight they might feel.
If there was more upfront in your face honesty in itself the Leander Paes remarks would be seen as mild schoolroom stuff, petulant yet scarcely toxic as he has been accused.
Then again, you have to ask; Leander the tennis player or Leander the ungracious dinner guest. Take your pick, you cannot have both.
