Paes, the only constant for team in transition

When it comes to the Davis Cup, few players across the world — including John McEnroe, Henri Leconte, the Woodies and the Bryans —come even close to the numbers that Leander Paes boasts of. Against South Korea this week, Paes will be playing his 49th tie, by far the most for any Indian. In his 23rd year, Paes with 38 doubles wins in the Davis Cup is just four short of the record held by Nicola Pietrangeli of Italy.

But Paes is no stranger to the Davis Cup record book. Along with Mahesh Bhupathi, he is a part of the longest doubles streak - 23 - spanning 13 years, and is still alive, lest the two ever come together again. A regular in the team for over two decades, Paes has an overwhelming winning record in both singles (48/22) and doubles (38/10 ).

Yet, over the past few years, Paes had gradually slipped into an easy routine while representing the country, reaching the venue of the tie only one and a half days before the first match, with his role limited to winning one doubles point - a job he has rarely failed in. However, this time, even against minnows South Korea, Paes finds himself in a situation he has not been in for a long time - that of inspiring a set of debutants and being less favoured to win despite being the home team.

Trying to recall the last time he felt like an underdog at home, Paes had to jog his memory back as far as 1994, when the most successful Cup team, USA, came visiting. "I have even been asked if we will be able to win any sets," he says, about public apprehensions about one of the weakest teams that India has ever fielded.

... contd.

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