India tennis ace Leander Paes is going through mixed feelings right now, having won the US Open mixed doubles title but losing the men's doubles title a day later. "But there are only positives that I can take back from this New York trip," Paes told Sunday MiD DAY from New York on Saturday.
Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy lost to No 2 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan 6-7 (5-7) and 6-7 (10-12) in the men's doubles final on Friday â only 24 hours after the Indian paired with Zimbabwe's Cara Black to lift the mixed doubles title beating Scot Jamie Murray and American Liezel Huber 7-6 (8-6), 6-4.
"There are always ups and downs in sport," said Paes. "And this edition of the US Open is the best example of this for me."
Paes claimed the mixed doubles and men's doubles title at the 1999 edition of Wimbledon. And though the 2008 Open denied any repeat of history, Paes was happy at finally laying his hands on the mixed title here having lost out in two finals at Flushing Meadows previously.
"Cara was simply outstanding and we played very well as a team. It was indeed a thoroughly deserved win," said Paes of his mixed title. However, he couldn't say the same about his doubles final.
Inexperienced partner
The 35-year-old defended his Czech partner nevertheless. "Lukas and myself are a relatively new pairing and our team is obviously short of Grand Slam experience. We came together a good five months into the current season and in the last six weeks we have made it to two finals besides having lost in the Wimbledon semi-finals and to the eventual winners at the French Open.
"In fact, we have virtually qualified for the Shanghai Masters thanks to our recent performances, which I think is great progress," explained the five-time Olympian, who lost in the quarter-finals of the Beijing Olympics, with his erstwhile World No 1 partner Mahesh Bhupathi. So, was the Beijing disappointment a motivation to do well in New York?
"I won't say that Beijing was a disappointment at all," said the 35-year-old. "Losing to an in-form Roger Federer (and his Swiss partner Stanislas Wawrinka), who were the eventually gold medal winners is not a disappointment.
"But yes, I was determined to do well here because I wanted to make up for the Olympic loss. And the mixed title has made up for it to some extent."
Next up, it's home sweet home for the former India Davis Cup captain. "Can't wait to get back to my family," Paes said.
