Towards the end of a long first day of The Hindu Lit for Life, – filled with engaging conversations around global politics, literature, history and religion – the Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall was still packed for the final session. Leander Paes, India’s most-decorated tennis star, was in the house.
After a short video featuring some of the greatest moments of his career — from the Olympic bronze at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta to multiple Grand Slam wins — the conversation began with Mr. Paes becoming the first Asian man to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in the player category.
In the session moderated by Suresh Balakrishna, Chief Revenue Officer of The Hindu Group, the 51-year-old star regaled the audience with his wit and humour. He had a lump in his throat when he recalled the sacrifices his parents, friends, and he himself had made.
Sharing his experience of playing with Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis — with whom he won two and four Majors in mixed doubles, respectively — Mr. Paes gave a life lesson in leadership and how different personalities impact someone’s life.
“Martina Navratilova is a born leader. When we would go out into a match and the coin toss would be done, she would always want to choose whether to serve or receive,” said Paes. Ms. Hingis, who had formed a solid partnership with Mr. Paes during World Team Tennis, was not sure about their pairing for the Grand Slams. “She said, ‘What if we lose? What if I am not ready and look bad on the court and the men hit harder,” he recalled.
But Mr. Paes said the “beauty of human beings is in their vulnerability and the beauty of a partner is in how you protect your partner’s vulnerability”. The Paes-Hingis pair clicked and clinched all four Majors in 18 months.Paes and Hingis went on to clinch all four Majors in the space of 18 months.
Published - January 18, 2025 10:38 pm IST
