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Leander Paes : Tennis Player

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Leander Paes : Tennis Player
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Australian, Wimbledon and US Open crowns. In the men’s version, a suspect staminaand that old Indian mental block resurface to see him crash out in the first round. Then,out of the blue, he takes the Olympic bronze...

The day he shared the podium with Andre Agassi and Sergei Bruguera atAtlanta—watched by father Vece Paes, coach Jaideep Mukherjea and his daughter Anisa(Leander’s girlfriend since age five)—it was confirmed. In anindividual-oriented sport, it’s when he represents India that his adrenalin flows. Inthose high-pressure moments, he is an unofficial presence in the top league that he cannever otherwise touch. Papa Paes is an Olympian, who was there in the bronze-winninghockey team at Munich. "I grew up watching that medal. I wanted one too," saysLeander.

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And so it was. The sheer aggro, which the Ramesh Krishnans always lacked, isinfectious. A string of enthusiastic youngsters now give that wide ball on their forehandcorner a real chase. Because that’s what Leander would have done.

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