The speaker reflects fondly on Leander, likening him to a brother and praising his speed and skill in tennis, especially in doubles. He shares humorous anecdotes about other tennis players like Boris Becker, Ivan Lendl, and Roger Federer, highlighting their unique personalities and locker room dynamics. The speaker also recounts challenging training experiences with Lendl and a memorable encounter with Gabriela Sabatini. He touches on personal struggles, including a serious illness and moments of doubt about his tennis career, but ultimately conveys a message of resilience and passion for the sport.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The speaker considers Leander Paes to be like a brother.
2. Leander Paes is a fast tennis player, especially at the net.
3. The speaker had a poster of Gabriela Sabatini in their room when they were 10 years old.
4. The speaker met Boris Becker through Leander Paes.
5. Ivan Lendl trained extremely hard, doing 8 hours of tennis and then going for a run or playing golf.
6. The speaker had a mitral valve prolapse and was told by 100 doctors that they may never be an athlete again or live beyond the age of 12.
7. The speaker was treated by Doctor Cherian in Chennai, who advised them to keep running and working out to strengthen their heart.
8. In 2003, the speaker had a serious illness and was told by a radiologist that their playing days were over and they needed surgery.
9. The speaker gained 128 pounds due to medication and lost weight over a year and a half.
10. The speaker's goal was to play four Olympics, which they promised to their dad when they were 10 years old.
11. The speaker played seven Olympics, exceeding their target.
12. The speaker's happiest day as an athlete was winning a medal at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
13. The speaker's dad was an Olympian and was in the stands during the Atlanta Olympics.
14. Andre Agassi's dad was also in the stands and was chatting with the speaker's dad.
15. The speaker was born in India and had to pay for all their expenses out of their prize money or sponsorship.
16. As a professional tennis player, the speaker spent around 2.5 to 3.5 crores every year, depending on the size of their entourage.
17. The speaker didn't break even in the first 10-15 years of their career and lost money.
18. The speaker didn't spend a birthday at home since they were 12 years old, as their birthday falls during the week before Wimbledon.
19. Before their daughter Aiyana was born, the speaker hadn't spent a Christmas at home, but now they make sure to be home with her every Christmas.
20. The speaker slept in a locker room in Wolfsburg, Germany, in 1991, as they didn't have money for a hotel room.
21. The speaker had to convince the locker room attendant to let them sleep in the locker room by buying them an espresso.
22. The speaker almost packed up their tennis career twice, once in 1991 and again at an unspecified time.
23. The speaker's dad didn't push them to continue playing tennis, and instead, let them find their own passion for the sport again.
24. The speaker found their passion for tennis again after an 8-week break and went on to have a successful career.
25. The speaker considers the difference between being a participant and a champion, or a champion and a legend, to be inherent within themselves.
26. The speaker has won the most individual trophies won by any Indian sportsman.
27. The speaker appeared in the movie Rajdhani Express, which they thought they did well in.
28. The speaker joked that they deserved a lifetime achievement award for their performance in the movie.