At 43, after 18 Grand Slams, Paes wants to learn from Rafa

September 13, 2016

New Delhi, Sep 13: For athletes who go on to transform themselves into legends, learning is a never-ending process.

rafaelAnd Leander Paes, who is India's most decorated player with 18 Grand Slam doubles titles, had no qualms in admitting even that at this stage of his career, he can learn by watching Spanish great Rafael Nadal train and play.

The 43-year-old, whose longevity is a talked about tale in world tennis, said the line-up that Spain has presented for the Davis Cup tie against India is a must watch for every single budding athlete in the country.

Spain have come with 14-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, world number 13 David Ferrer, the marathon man of world tennis with 26 ATP singles titles, and French Open champion pair of Mark and Feliciano Lopez.

"It's a great showcase of tennis in India. If I were 9,10, 15-year old budding athlete, I would be packing the stadium, every single day. To come and watch a 14-time Grand Slam champion is unbelievable. For me even now, at this stage of my career, where I have played 30 years, you can come out and watch what Rafa does and learn so much," Paes said.

"You can learn about the footwork, about the power, the generation of shots, the follow through, the swing the rituals after the practice," Paes said elaborating.

"Spanish team to me is one of the most professional teams. They fight together. I can't say enough of respect I have for this team, starting with Rafa, one of the greatest. I am lucky I got a chance to play doubles with him (in Paris Masters, 2015). It's not just about how he plays tennis but the way he conducts himself. He is a great ambassador of the game," he said showering encomiums on the Spanish great.

Now this has come from a player, who has completed Career Slams in both men's doubles and mixed doubles and has competed in a record seven Olympics with a singles bronze.

Paes, who is just one win shy of becoming the most successful doubles players in the history of Davis Cup, said India's singles players -- Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan -- have a great opportunity to test themselves against the best in the world.

"You have nothing to lose. You have got us here (World Group Play-off stage) and we are proud of that. You have crossed this hurdle at the US Open and now playing greats of the game. (you need to find) How does my game match up with them. You can watch how Ferrer moves on baseline, how Rafa plays that forehand. Most people worry about winning or losing, but at end of the day you need to keep improving," Paes, tied with Italian great Nicola Pietrangeli on 42 doubles wins, said.

Pietrangeli also holds the most singles wins record in Davis Cup with 78 victories in 66 ties. Paes said his job in this tie is to nurture the next generation and he indeed is "leading by example".

"I was first on the court and last to leave. I hope kids on the team saw that. My volley is not bad but I am still working on that with my coach. The drill I generate, hitting down the line, backhand, cross-court. More than the talk, it's action."

Paes also made it clear that the young players such as Sumit Nagal, need to learn and move to the next level fast. "Can Sumit Nagal after winning junior Wimbledon, spend three days with me and absorb a few things. Before the next tie, he needs to improve. If we are working on the same thing in February too then...Davis Cup is a learning curve," he said.

Asked who he would like to play doubles with -- Nagal or Myneni -- Paes said he won't make any preferences. "I am ready for anybody. I have played through nine generations of players and hence whoever they put me with, I am ready. It does not matter. My job is to nurture the young players," he said.

Paes also made it clear that the next generation players need to push him out of the team and earn their place. "Let the juniors come up and surpass me, and say Lee you don't have a spot, I will sit down. Part of my responsibility is to pass on the knowledge. I push them like hell. I am still beating them in games, what's going on. That's a practice and not match."

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News Network
January 15,2020

Jan 15: Australia openers David Warner and Aaron Finch both struck superb centuries to complement their bowlers’ inspired display as the touring side handed out a 10-wicket thrashing to India in the opening one-day international in Mumbai.

India, world-ranked No 2 in ODIs, suffered a middle-order collapse on their way to being bundled out for 255 in the final over of their innings after Australia captain Finch won the toss and opted to field in the first of the three-match series.

Warner and Finch then smashed the Indian bowlers to all corners of the ground, picking up boundaries seemingly at will to chase down the target with 74 balls to spare at the Wankhede Stadium.

Left-handed Warner successfully used the decision review system twice to overturn the umpire’s decision on his way to his 18th ODI century, hitting three sixes and 17 fours in his unbeaten knock of 128, from 112 balls. Finch completed his 16th century in the format, his unbeaten innings 110 from 114 features two sixes and 13 fours.

Earlier, Australia’s left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who made his ODI debut in India 10 years ago, picked up three wickets to set up Australia’s victory. He struck the first blow with the new ball when he sent back Rohit Sharma for 10.

India managed to recover from that early loss through a second-wicket stand of 121 between opener Shikhar Dhawan, who top-scored for the hosts with 74, and KL Rahul. However left-arm spinner Ashton Agar broke the stand by dismissing Rahul for 47 before Agar caught Dhawan off Pat Cummins in the next over.

The hosts were hoping for a solid innings from captain Virat Kohli, who batted a position lower than his usual No 3 spot to accommodate Rahul, to get them out of trouble. However, he lasted only 14 balls, hitting leg-spinner Adam Zampa for a six before offering a return catch to the bowler on the very next delivery to be out for 16.

Starc then returned to the attack, removing Shreyas Iyer cheaply as India lost four wickets for 30 runs to be reduced to 164 for five. Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja then fell just short of a half-century partnership, before the remaining four wickets falling for 42 runs, with Cummins and fast bowler Kane Richardson picking up two wickets apiece for Australia.

To compound India’s woes, wicketkeeper Pant suffered a concussion after being hit on his helmet by a short-pitched delivery from Cummins. The Indian cricket board said Pant, who did not come out to keep wicket and was replaced behind the stumps by Rahul, was under observation. The two sides will meet in Rajkot for the second ODI on Friday.

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Agencies
January 11,2020

London, Jan 11: Former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's famous lap around the Wankhede Stadium after the World Cup 2011 win has been nominated in Laureas's list for the most inspiring sporting event in the last twenty years.

The moment featuring Tendulkar has been described as "Carried on the shoulders by a nation".

On his sixth attempt at the World Cup and with India not having won the competition since 1983, Tendulkar finally became a part of the team that lifted the coveted trophy. Carried on the shoulders of the Indian team, he made a lap of honour, shedding tears of joy after the victory was sealed in his home city.

The 2011 World Cup was also the first time, in which a host nation ended up winning the trophy.

Apart from Tendulkar, England's Andrew Flintoff is the only other cricketer to feature in the list. In 2005, England managed to defeat Australia in an Ashes Test, but Flintoff chose to first shake hands with Brett Lee rather than celebrate with his side.

Matthias Steiner (weightlifting), Natalie du Toit (swimming), Sky Brown (skateboarding), Alistair and Jonathan Brownlee (triathlon), Xia Boyu (mountaineering) have been nominated in the list.

Female tennis stars also feature in the list for coming up with an equal play, equal pay campaign. After pressure from Venus Williams and others, Wimbledon announced that female tennis players would receive prize money equal to the men's.

German international footballer Miroslav Klose was playing for Lazio in Italy's Serie A in 2012 against Napoli when he rose for a ball in the early moments of the game.

The ball came spiraling off his hand and skirted into the back of the net and a goal was awarded. While most players would carry on as if nothing had happened, Klose was honest with the referee and admitted that he handled the ball.

As a result, he also finds a place on the list.

The Laureus Sporting Moment Award celebrates the moments where the sport has unified people in the most extraordinary way.

This campaign has shortlisted 20 sporting stories from the last 20 years that have left their mark on the world.

The winner will be decided on the basis of public voting. It has already started, and the final date to cast the vote is February 16.

Finally, the result will be declared on February 17.
With three knock-out rounds, the top-20 moments will be whittled down to ten then five, with the top-five moments going head-to-head.

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News Network
May 7,2020

Melbourne, May 7: Australia opener Joe Burns is eyeing the Tests against India should they take place later this year, to stabilise his stop-start international career, saying "you want to play in and do well in" in this kind of series.

India is scheduled to play four Tests in Australia in December-January, a series which is currently in doubt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has claimed over 2.5 lakh lives across the world.

"They are obviously world class team. I think the two teams going at each other will be very exciting to watch and players playing against each other as well," Burns told reporters in a video conference on Thursday.

"You look at the world ranking, they were number one and now we have got to number one, so I know that series will be anticipated by everyone and as a player this is a sort of series you want to play in and do well in."

With the coronavirus also threatening the T20 World Cup, Cricket Australia is under financial stress and has gone on a cost-cutting drive, which included standing down 80 per cent of its staff at 20 per cent salary.

There are also speculations that the Sheffield Shield for 2020-21 would be curtailed to cut costs.

Burns, however, hoped it won't be tinkered with.

"I love the fact we have a really strong first-class system. The 10 games, where you play everyone twice," Burns, who was struck down by a fatigue illness after an indifferent season, said.

"It leads to world-class players coming into Test teams. You don't want to see that get changed.

"Obviously it is unique circumstances at the moment and There's a lot of things to work through ... the players' association is consulted on those things."

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