This Trophy is for India, Leander Paes to NDTV After Winning Wimbledon Mixed Doubles Title

Double of double for Martina! After winning women’s doubles for Sania Mirza, Martina Hingis clinched mixed doubles crown with Leander Paes.

© AFP

Elated with his 16th Grand Slam triumph after winning the Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Martina Hingis, Leander Paes said the trophy was for India.

Indian veteran Paes and his Swiss partner Hingis won the final with a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Alexander Peya and Timea Babos.

Paes was beaming after the victory. “This trophy is for India,” he told NDTV. “To represent the flag and my country is something I take very seriously.”

Paes had first made headlines at the All England Club back in 1990, when he won the junior title. “Winning the junior title at 1990 was really special.”

The Indian tennis star said he would strive to work hard for more success. “You don’t have to be the best at anything but if you work really hard, anyone can win this trophy.”

Age does not seem to be a factor for Paes, who continues to be successful even at 42. “Winning and getting old go together,” he told NDTV in an exclusive interview. Learning, he said, is a constant process for him, and Paes said his daughter was his biggest teacher.

Hingis had won the women’s doubles with Sania Mirza on Saturday before coming back on Sunday to secure a 40-minute triumph. It was undoubtedly a grueling phase for the Swiss and Paes acknowledged that.

“I feel really special being on the court with Martina; she had an emotionally and physically-draining women’s doubles final with Sania Mirza. She had a tough tough 24 hours and still came back and took the time to discuss our match,” Paes said.

Paes and Hingis had also won the Australian Open mixed doubles in January.

It was Paes’s eighth Grand Slam mixed title and a third for Hingis.