MS Dhoni is amazing, Virat Kohli is phenomenal: Leander Paes

Updated On: 16 October, 2019 10:20 AM IST | | mid-day online correspondent

Leander Paes speaks about Australian Open, Tokyo Games, Martina Hingis and Martina Navratilova, fitness and younger athletes at an event

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Leander Paes on his official Instagram

Indian tennis veteran Leander Paes was recently speaking after Tennis Australia and Sony Pictures India Private Limited made an announcement that they would extend their broadcast relationship for three-years at the Australian Open 2020 media launch event in Mumbai. Leander Paes was quizzed on quite a few topics and had much to say about them.

On Australian Open

“The first grand slam I ever played in my career was in 1989 and it was the Junior Boys Singles at the Australian Open. As a young boy from Kolkata, born to a Bengali and Goan-Portuguese father, football is my first love. When I gave up football, left the academy in Europe and came back to India, my dad said “what are you going to do” and I said “tennis” and he laughed at me for about six minutes because I really wasn’t a very talented tennis player. The Australian Open in 1989 was my first one, but more importantly, the 1990 Australian Open, getting into the Junior Finals gave me the sense of belief that I could be a world champion. The reason I took up tennis was that my parents had played at the Olympics, the individuality of the sport and I figured that if I worked hard enough even I could also own one of these trophies. In the 1990 Australian Open, when I got the first trophy at the Australian Open still sits in a place of pride in my heart because I wouldn’t be who I am without my parents, what they did for me, the opportunities they gave to me and my two sisters. My first trophy of the Grand Slam still sits with my parents and that’s the Australian Open for you.”

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