I know what it takes to win an Olympic medal: Paes

New York, July 20 (IANS):

India’s ace tennis player Leander Paes has said he knows what it takes to win an Olympic medal and will not distract himself by delving into people’s expectations, the negativities and the politics.

Paes, who won the singles bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Games, said he would let his racquet do the talking.

When asked what he thinks about former Davis Cup captain Jaidip Mukerjea’s comments that his chances of winning a men’s doubles medal at the Olympics are very remote, Paes said he cannot deal with other’s opinions.

“I think everybody has his or her own opinions. I don’t deal with other people’s opinions. I know what it takes to win a medal. I know how much hard work it takes. I have won a medal before, so long story short, I don’t delve into people’s expectations, the negativities and the politics. I do what I do best which is to let my racquet do the talking,” Paes was quoted as saying by NDTV.

Paes said he was hurt with the selection controversy after both Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna refused to play with him in the Olympics.

“I was hurt. I was very stressed but at the end of the day that is life, isn’t it? It was hard to go through Wimbledon and play day in and out. What you have to do as a professional athlete is to get away from all the negatives and the politics. I was able to do that well,” he said.

Paes said he has put the incident behind and was looking to win a doubles medal with Vishnu Vardhan and Sania Mirza.

“I have won a medal already in the singles. So to have a medal in the doubles or the mixed doubles would be my goal and would be phenomenal. I have never been one to predict what will happen,” he said.

Paes said he had got Vishnu over to the Wimbledon for the last four days of his mixed doubles campaign to get a feel of things.

“He (Vishnu) had never been to Wimbledon before so I got him to come and stay there with me and practice on the grass courts there. He soaked in the atmosphere, the conditions there. Right now, for the last 10 days, he has been practising with my coach Rick Leach in California. Now that the team has been selected, it is my job to go out there and play my game and heart out for the country,” he said.