Click to play videoThey have won three of their four doubles Grand Slam titles together, but have also made headlines for their public spats. While Mahesh Bhupathi looks to partner Leander Paes for the 2008 Olympics, Paes is not so sure. CNN-IBN Sports Editor Gaurav Kalra spoke exclusively to Leander Paes on his take on the issue.
Leander Paes: I'm not thinking about the Olympics right now because more importantly, I'm concentrating on this year. The one event that I have never really won in doubles is the World Championships, and adding that to my resume is something I'm looking at this year.
Gaurav Kalra: Obviously Doha is past, gone, a lot of things have happened since then. What has your takeaway from it been? You were obviously not quite as perturbed as Mahesh was at the end of that gold medal match.
Leander Paes: Well certainly I have taken out of it and learnt from it. I find that it was very busy schedule with us playing doubles, mixed doubles team events, so on and so forth.
I have certainly learnt from what you have called an 'outburst' there. I have learnt that sometimes my forthrighteousness is not really appreciated in terms of going to the media. So probably it was one of the last times you saw me going to the media and speaking in that fashion.
I find that the Doha Asian Games was a grand success at the end of it all. And coming away from it after adding two gold medals to my tally of gold medals at the Asian Games is something I enjoy. I will always remember the Doha Asian Games by winning a doubles medal with Mahesh and the mixed doubles with Sania (Mirza), which was really fulfilling.
Gaurav Kalra: Are the both of you still friends?
Leander Paes: Very much. There is a lot that we share, there is a lot that we have done on the tennis court, and even though they make a difference of opinions anywhere else, I have a lot of respect for what he has done and what we have done together.
So, from my point of view, that level of respect will never really go, because we have shared almost a full lifetime together, and for the rest of our lives, we are always going to remember that. So, from my point of view, I hold him in high regard for what we have shared and that will be there.
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