Paes still kicking it, and so are we – By Ricky Dimon

Written by: Staff on 10th March 2014

Paes still kicking it, and so are we - By Ricky Dimon

epa03083977 Leander Paes (L) of India and Elena Vesnina (R) of Russia in action against Horia Tecau of Romania and Bethanie Mattek-Sands of USA during the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 29 January 2012. Tecau/Mattek-Sands won the match. EPA/AHMAD YUSNI |

It’s not often that you see the same professional tennis player at two events separated by 15 years—at least not unless he is in a coaching box for the second go-around. It’s even rarer when that player is already a somewhat grizzled veteran the first time you see him.

I first saw Leander Paes play a tennis match at the 1999 U.S. Open. The Indian Express, featuring Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, dismissed Jan-Michael Gambill and Adam Peterson 7-6(4), 7-5 in a second-round contest on Louis Armstrong en route to a runner-up finish. Paes was already 26 at the time and had been on the pro tour since 1991.

Fast forward 15 years I’m once again watching Paes, once again with my dad, once again on the front row behind the baseline, this time on Stadium 5 at the BNP Paribas Open. Paes is 40, but still ranked in the top 10 in doubles. In a spirited but good-natured affair complete with outrageous shot-making, Paes outclasses the competition and prevails with Radek Stepanek 7-6(6), 3-6, 10-5 over Jerzy Janowicz and Philipp Kohlschreiber. What with the quality of play, the intimate setting of Stadium 5, the joking between Janowicz and Kohlschreiber, and the silky smooth hands of Paes, it is without question one of the most fun matches of the tournament to date.

In a testament to the tennis knowledge of the faithful Indian Wells’ fanbase, a packed house was on hand see it.

Counted my dad and I among the throngs who expected a good show and were handsomely rewarded. We’ve now been to tournaments together spanning three different decades, from Indian Wells, to Miami, to Atlanta, to Cincinnati, to New York’s U.S. Open. He’s been to too many others to name with my mom and I’ve even paid a visit to the event in Chennai (where Paes and Bhupathi reunited for a run to the title) with my brother.

I fully expect to be chasing the tour around the world with my clan well into the next decade, if not longer. And at this rate, what’s to say that I won’t be watching Leander Paes when the calendar turns to 2020?

Topics: Indian tennis news, Indian Wells Tennis News, Jerzy Janowicz, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Sports, Tennis

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10sBalls_com says:

March 10, 2014 at 9:13 am

Paes still kicking it, and so are we – By @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/NThzJrmhnN @Leander @ATPWorldTour @BNPPARIBASOPEN #BNPPO14 #tennis
LeanderArmy says:

March 10, 2014 at 9:43 am

RT @10sBalls_com: Paes still kicking it, and so are we – By @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/NThzJrmhnN @Leander @ATPWorldTour @BNPPARIBASOPEN #B…