‘It’s a marvel that Leander is still playing so well’

‘Even at 42 Leander’s ball skills, his reflexes at the net, the hand-eye co-ordination… nothing has diminished. In fact, he is as good as he’s ever been.

‘The lack of top players in doubles does diminish the quality of the playing field in the major events, but it doesn’t diminish the fact that you are a Grand Slam winner. One cannot take those achievements (16 major titles) away from Leander.’

“If someone had told me back then — in the early 1990s — that Leander Paes would still be playing, and winning Grand Slams in 2015, I would have told him to go and see a psychiatrist.”

Enrico Piperno’s elation at Paes’ recent success at the Wimbledon — the veteran teaming up with Switzerland’s Martina Hingis to win the mixed doubles title, his 16th career major — also contained an element of disbelief.

“It’s a marvel that Paes is still playing so well, especially the manner in which he is dictating points at the net,” continued the veteran coach.

“Even at 42 his ball skills, his reflexes at the net, the hand-eye co-ordination…nothing has diminished at all. In fact he is as good as he’s ever been.

“It was an amazing performance,”

Piperno was still a player when Paes joined him, as a partner and a pupil. And the former Davis Cupper does take pride in the fact that it was he who guided the player to his debut on the professional tour.

“I was coaching him at that time, and also happened to be his doubles (and practice) partner,” recollected Piperno, adding, “I took him to his first ATP tournament (the Singapore Open in 1991)”.

Predominantly a singles player early on in his career Paes made a switch to doubles when the going was still good. If Piperno is to be believed, the switch was more of a necessity than choice.

“In Leander’s case, the circumstances were such that he had to make the transition to doubles,” explained the former Fed Cup captain.

“His body was playing up and he needed to make this career switch to ensure longevity.

“I would say he made the right decision at the right time,” he added.

While undoubtedly happy with his one-time understudy’s success, Piperno’s also upfront in accepting the pragmatism behind Paes’ choice as well the status of ‘doubles tennis’ in the present day.

It is a fact that in professional tennis, doubles no longer carries the prestige it used to till the early 1990s, unless of course a player represents a nation that is perennially starved of sporting success.

The rigours of the tour and an extended season, with players being made to play a mandatory number of tournaments to protect their rankings, has ensured most top singles players are no more interested in playing doubles.

The discipline, as such, has had weak draws, lack of spectators and considerably less prize money in recent years.

“The standard of doubles has certainly diminished,” admitted Piperno, before proceeding to elaborate upon his point.

“The fact that Leander, at 42, has entered the playing field is a proof of this,” he continued, adding, “It would not have been possible if the top singles players took to doubles, like they did till the 1990s.”

Having said that Piperno was quick to jump to his protege’s defence.

“It is not Leander to blame. It is the system (read ATP Tour),” he explained.

“Playing in singles has become so strenuous that the top players avoid playing in doubles.

“It is a fact that the lack of top players does diminish the quality of the playing field in the major events. However, it doesn’t diminish the fact that you are a Grand Slam winner and have put in the effort to win it.

“At the end of the day no one asks what kind of Grand Slam titles you have won. They ask how many? And Leander has 16 now. You can’t take those achievements away from him,” he added.

While Paes has thus far shown no inclination of hanging up his racket any time soon, Piperno admitted that there’s not much time left.

“He’s 42 now. It will get only tougher for him as it goes on,” explained the coach.

“I think he will continue playing till the Rio Olympics next year and thereafter, reassess whether he can carry on any further or not,” added Piperno.