Leander Paes says that he has learnt a lot from his opponents and the partners in mixed doubles.
Tennis ace Leander Paes on what he has learnt from his three decades in the sport, and how he gets better by watching his opponents and partners.
Mind
“I do a lot of mental visualisation. I picture myself in situations that are tough. I think about the different ways that I can handle them. I put myself in match situations, against different opponents, in order to strategise my game and think of how I can combat their playing style. For instance, if someone is a baseliner, I will think of how to prepare for this; or if someone is a serve-andvolley player, what I need to do; how I need to change my game to suit a slow court or a fast court, etc.
I think mental fitness and mental health is all about being able to handle adversity. Today’s life is so stressful — in one’s personal or professional life, the daily commute, even the weather. The ability to stay calm is key.
“As a sportsperson, it’s important to win the battle of minds. I have played on the tour for 30 years. There is so much that I have learnt from my contemporaries. All of them have been stellar examples of mental toughness. It’s great to be surrounded by people like that. Not only my opponents, I have learnt a lot from my doubles and mixed doubles partners as well.”
Body
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“The other side is your diet, everything that you put into your mouth and system will have an effect. “I eat good fats but say no to ghee and butter. At my age (46), rehab and rest are very important. Yoga, meditation, pilates, breathing techniques are what I do.
Leander talks fitness, says 'the exact number of minutes that I spend on my workouts keeps varying as per my need'. “My father changes my fitness routine every three months. The exact number of minutes that I spend on my workouts keeps varying as per my need. For best results, I mix the Indian philosophy of meditation and yoga with the Western fitness training regimen including gym work, cardio, abs, core, etc.
“The difference between being in the top-100 and the top-10 is the physical and mental attributes. I have also learnt a lot from my various doubles and mixed doubles partners over the years. What I do is learn these lessons, and tweak them to suit my needs. This way, I have figured out what works for my body, goals and schedules. Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis are two partners who have taught me the most.”
Soul
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“Be happy as best as you can be, no matter what life throws at you. My mantra is quite simple. I like it that way. The more you complicate things, the more you are not at ease.”
Game, Set, Split: Naomi Osaka And Other Tennis Aces Who Parted Ways From Their Coaches
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The coming together of Djokovic (R) and Becker (L) as player and coach caught the world’s imagination in 2013. The Serbian star went on to win six Grand Slams under Becker and held all four major titles. However, three years later, the pair parted ways and it was clear that Becker wasn’t too happy. Speaking about Djokovic, he said, “He didn’t spend as much time on the practice court in the last six months as he should have, and he knows that.”
The coming together of Djokovic (R) and Becker (L) as player and coach caught the world’s imagination in 2013. The Serbian star went on to win six Grand Slams under Becker and held all four major tit..
Read More
Murray (L) hired the Czech legend as his full-time coach at the start of the 2012 tour season. Under Lendl’s guidance, the feisty Brit went on to win his first Grand Slam final — the US Open in 2012. Murray also won his first Wimbledon title in 2013. But the coach and player parted ways in 2014. They then reunited in June 2016 and enjoyed immediate success as Murray claimed his second Wimbledon title. But they split again in 2017. An injury-prone Murray hasn’t won a Grand Slam since.
Murray (L) hired the Czech legend as his full-time coach at the start of the 2012 tour season. Under Lendl’s guidance, the feisty Brit went on to win his first Grand Slam final — the US Open in 2012...
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Djokovic once again made news when Andre Agassi joined his coaching team as head coach in mid-2017. In 2018, the pair parted ways. In a statement Agassi said, “With only the best intentions I tried to help Novak. Far too often, we found ourselves agreeing to disagree. I wish him only the best moving forward.” In later interviews, Agassi said their parting ways stemmed largely from the player’s reluctance to embrace his guidance and ideas.
Djokovic once again made news when Andre Agassi joined his coaching team as head coach in mid-2017. In 2018, the pair parted ways. In a statement Agassi said, “With only the best intentions I tried t..
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The Williams and Witt partnership was a long and successful one. In an interview, Witt reportedly said that the separation at the end of 2018 season came as a “total surprise” to him and that the seven-time Grand Slam champion chose to end their 11-year-long association with a two-minute phone call. In a New York Times article, Witt said, “Part of you sits there and says that, and the other part says that it was a business decision, which I totally understand, and I respect her decision. I don’t even need to know why, it’s just her decision.”
The Williams and Witt partnership was a long and successful one. In an interview, Witt reportedly said that the separation at the end of 2018 season came as a “total surprise” to him and that the sev..
