05 April,2010 08:37 AM IST | | Ashwin Ferro
Double delight for Leander Paes after he wins Miami crown on daughter Aiyana's birthday
Leander Paes was doubly happy after winning the season's maiden ATP doubles title in Miami on Saturday as it was also his daughter, Aiyana's birthday.
"It's great to win any final but this one's special because today is Aiyana's birthday. She turned four. It's definitely a great Easter," Paes told MiD DAY today from Miami after he and Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy, seeded third in the tournament, beat fourth seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi 6-2, 7-5 in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament.
The Indo-Czech pair took a 2-0 lead in the first set and thereafter didn't let Bhupathi-Mirnyi get back.
In the second set, Paes-Dlouhy were up a quick break again but were broken back immediately for 3-3. At 5-5 however, the third seeds broke again and then held serve to close out the match.
Mumbai and Miami may be miles apart but the doting dad connected with his little one nevertheless.
On the night before the final (Friday night) the former India Davis Cup captain called up Mumbai.
"I called Aiyana up at the stroke of midnight (India time). She was asleep and I felt a bit bad because I disturbed her but then I had to wish her.
"I miss her like crazy, and this tour has been hard because I had to stay away from her. But I've promised her a little celebration over the next weekend after I'm back in Mumbai," added Paes.
The reigning French and US Open doubles champions went down in successive finals earlier this year in Brisbane and Dubai.
This time, however, Paes believed they had a good chance of winning the summit clash. "We've already been in two finals before this. So, I had a feeling that we had an edge going into this one because Lucas has been in great touch and my speed has not dwindled one bit either."
The win is also particularly important given the year has just begun. There are three of the four Slams to go and Paes and his partner Cara Black are already the reigning mixed doubles champions in the one gone by, the Australia Open. "I have a feeling it's going to be a great year," he signed off.
