India’s legendary tennis player, Leander Paes, thinks it will take at least ten years for India to produce another Grand Slam winner. He is pleading with former players to develop fresh talent to turn India into a sporting superpower capable of hosting the Olympics in 2036 and winning medals. I think it’s probably going to take another 10 years to produce a Grand Slam champion. I think that the focus needs to be on the grassroots base level and then the feeder system coming up, then you churn out the numbers, Paes said during the auctions of the Tennis Premier League (TPL) on Wednesday.

I 100% believe we have tremendous talent in India, but I believe it’s people like myself, along with the governance and the whole sporting fraternity, to reach out to that talent in rural areas in places where maybe those children are not as fortunate as you and I, to have the parents who gave us that platform to stand on.

I think it’s a responsibility for us to reach out there and find that talent, test that talent, and once you pick it, bring it into academies where you nurture the talent, asserted Paes, who was recently sworn into the sport’s Hall of Fame. India hopes to host the 2036 Olympics and finish among the top 10 in the medal standings. According to Paes, former athletes and players can be crucial to realizing this goal and elevating India to the status of a major force in sports.

I firmly believe that we have 12 years to establish India as a powerhouse in sports and showcase ourselves at the 2036 Olympics. I humbly believe that people like myself and people in governance can make a big push to make India a powerhouse in sports and showcase ourselves not by just holding the Olympics; God willing, we’ll get it, and we’ll have to work hard to get it because the competition is fierce.

But also, if and when we get it, to win lots of medals, that’s the victory, in my opinion, added Paes, who has won 18 Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles. The All-India Tennis Association has elections on September 28. However, due to alleged violations of the Sports Code, the election was challenged by former Indian tennis stars Somdev Devvarman and Purav Raja, resulting in legal complications. Paes believes that peaceful discussions would lead to a good solution.

I’m a big believer in inclusiveness. I’m a big believer in being able to listen to someone. As much as I speak, I love to listen to see. What is it you want? What is the issue? Let’s sit down and sort out our differences, and even if those differences cannot be sorted out, at least respect each other. That’s the idea. Always hoping for a positive outcome, the 51-year-old Indian expressed.

Indian tennis duo Vijay Sundar Prashanth and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan won the doubles title in the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open 2024. Heaping praise on the duo, Paes said: I played one of my last Davis Cup matches with Jeevan; it was his first Davis Cup match, I believe, and Jeevan carried me right through that. It was awesome; his passion, his exuberance, and his happiness around the tennis court were great fun, and to see Sundar and Jeevan come and win in Hangzhou was fantastic.

I must give a shout-out to all the young athletes in tennis because they’re spending their hard-earned money, their family money, their hard-earned savings, and their earnings to go and play international tournaments. So much respect for all these youngsters, he concluded.