Wimbledon: For Leander Paes, time stands still

LONDON: Leander Paes and Martina Hingis, who cruised to their second Grand Slam mixed doubles title of the year, played a blink-and-you'll-miss-it final on Centre Court late on Sunday.
While the 42-year-old Indian, who now has 16 major crowns, refused to weigh his titles, he said, the manner of his most recent victory, was supreme. The Indo-Swiss pairing, friends off court and supportive partners on it, brushed aside Austria's Alexander Peya and Hungary's Timea Babos 6-1, 6-1 in a mere 40 minutes.
"It's hard to say which one is the best one. But coming out and playing like that on one of the most prestigious courts in the world, winning a title like that, again for the second time in a Grand Slam, without losing a set, that is really special," Paes said.
"Australia was something new, something fresh, because it was the first time we were playing together in a Grand Slam. We played World Team Tennis for a couple of years and we're undefeated there. But to come and do it at Wimbledon is really special."
Paes applauded the professionalism of his partner, who won two titles at Wimbledon, this fortnight. "Everyone knows what Martina has achieved over the years at Wimbledon. To come out there and do it back-to-back, the physical and mental effort that it takes to win two titles in the same week is something really, really special. My job is just to be the anchor in the partnership, it is something I really enjoy."
Martina, 34, quizzed on her preference for Indian partners, given that she's playing with the 28-year-old Sania Mirza in the women's doubles, where the pair are ranked No.1 in the world, said, "With Leander, we played Team Tennis for the last two years. With Sania, it was only from March this year. It's been a great ride for me. I feel quarter Indian. I have been to India four times already."
Paes, who has won mixed doubles titles with the two Martinas - American Navratilova and Hingis, refused to compare the two partnerships. "They're two great legends of the game," he said. "To be able to play with two of the greatest female players of all time is a treat."
He said the two Martinas 'epitomize what an athlete should be'. "They're both the greatest female athletes that we've had in any sport," the Mumbai-based pro said. "There are few other athletes in different sports that we can talk about, but in the game of tennis, both Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis are right at the top. They are both champions of life."
"Navratilova is a serve and volleyer and Martina Hingis probably has the best groundstrokes or return of serves I've ever seen. I still learn from her. You talk about the way that Martina Navratilova is up and going, everything is fast and quick. Martina Hingis is nice and easy and relaxed and smooth. When you look at them as human beings, when you look at the trials and tribulations that they've gone through, the champions that they are off the court is what I really respect a lot."
Paes, who has had it tough off the court these last 12 months, locked in a custody battle, said, "Martina Hingis is one of the most honest, truthful, straightforward people you'll ever meet. Not to mention a thorough professional. After last night, anybody else would have gone and had a bottle of champagne, partied, stayed up late and all that sort of stuff because you've just won Wimbledon. She came out there today ready for practice. She was ready doing her lines, doing her sprints. She got me in check."
Paes, asked by international mediamen what it means for India to have a Muslim and a Christian win Wimbledon titles within 24 hours of each other, perhaps played his finest point of the evening, saying, that was exactly what his country was all about, unity in diversity.
"We're a big country with so many different cultures, religions and communities, to me that's what India stands for," he said. "We have a population of 1.28 billion, who all live in a fairly large land mass, but when you look at it we are all living together. Regardless of color, race, culture, background we all come together. For Sania winning here was magical. She's worked so many years to win a Grand Slam title, this is the first women's doubles title she's won. It's phenomenal."
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