All is well: Sania says it’s an honour to play with Paes in Olympics

As D-Day draws near, two things are crystal clear as far as Indian tennis is concerned, says a report in The Times Of India, adding that Sania Mirza will take to the forehand court during the mixed doubles competition and let loose fiery cannon balls like the way only she can. And it is also clear that she will pair up with Leander Paes in the event.


“All eyes were on Sania and Leander as they got together on Wednesday for the first time since the ugly Indian tennis soap opera went on air. The duo hit out for almost two hours in the afternoon. Sania worked on her forehand while Leander concentrated on his backhand. The body language was professional and betrayed very little of the goings-on in the recent past,” says the report.

After the practice session, Leander said: "I want my partner to be comfortable. It doesn't matter which side I play. I have won Wimbledon with Lisa Raymond playing from the backhand side."

Meanwhile Sania too sounded relieved. "It helps me a great deal to play from the forehand side because returning is my strength and I will be able to give Leander maximum support."

Meanwhile a Hindustan Times report says that after days of speculation and acrimony, all was well in this particular corner of Indian tennis. "A week of practice is more than enough for us to gel. After all, we are professional tennis players and we don't ever have the luxury of playing together for months before pairing up," said Mirza dismissing the notion that the two may not get their games in synch before the Olympics.

Mirza has her right knee strapped as she carries a niggle from Wimbledon. “We are never really perfect in body, that's the nature of our sport. You learn to play with the pain.” She refused to even entertain the query as to whether there is any possibility of her asking to be paired with Bhupathi before the mixed doubles sign-in. “Look, I have never said that. There has been no discussion on that account. Leander is our number one player and it's an honour to play with him."

According to a report in Mid-Day, rookie Vishnu Vardhan says doubles partner Paes and coach Leach are working out a formula for Olympic success coach Leach are working out a formula for Olympic success “Leander got me to Wimbledon to be by his side, and watching him reach the mixed doubles final was very exciting. Overall, being at the Mecca of tennis — Wimbledon — itself was an exhilarating experience for me. Thereafter, I’ve come to the US, where I’m training with Leander’s coach Rick Leach,” Vishnu told MiD DAY.

Training with former World No 1 doubles ace, Leach has given Vishnu immense confidence ahead of one of his most important sporting endeavours till date — the Olympics. “Though Leander has been busy playing around the US in the last week or so, he’s been following my progress on a daily basis and has been in touch with myself and Rick. He is very focussed about the Games and so am I.”

Meanwhile in an interview to HT, leander Paes says that he has had 92 partners over 26 years of professional tennis and that if two (Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna) of them were unhappy and 90 were really happy, it speaks for itself.

“I think that when you have two rogues out there, they need to be disciplined but they were not (by the federation) and that's the disappointing part. For me, my journey is far longer and far greater than two individuals. It speaks for itself. The fact that I am here playing my sixth and am motivated to play my seventh Olympics, speaks for itself. It speaks of how committed I am for achieving excellence. We live in a world where quality IS appreciated. But not this time and that's been the hardest thing to deal with in the last two months,” said Paes to HT.