Having decided to pull the curtains down on his long illustrious career, Leander Paes said he is ready to accept the coaching job if he gets right players and right system.
“There are lot of things I am looking to do. I am really very excited about Bengaluru Open, which could be my last roar. As far as coaching is concerned, if I get the right player, right athlete and right system. Sure, there is lot of experince that I would like to share,” he told IndiaSpeaksDaily here on the sidelines of Bengaluru Open.
Asked to name some of the best young Indian tennis players, Paes said India has depth of young talented players, which the country did not boast of in the 1980s and 90s.
But, today, there are many in the form of Rajneesh Bhandari, Sumit Nagal and Ramkumar Ramanathan, who are all doing well, he added.
“If we look at the depth we have today, it was not that much in 1990s and 80s. Now, you have many. I could rattle up a bunch of names. Rajneesh, Sumit and Ram – all of them are doing well. And, you have all the young ones who are all coming up right up the hills,” he said.
Paes also was proud of bunch of doubles players. “If you look at the doubles guys you got 15 of them, who can play doubles. I am so proud of them,” he said.
Paes also showered encomiums on Ankita Bhambri’s potential and had lot of respect for her physical fitness.
“If you look at the women’s side, Ankita Bhambri is someone whom I have a lot of respect for. Her phyiscal fitness is very up there. She lost in a battle in Thailand last week, but she did not give it up easily,” he said.
Paes said the he is proud of a lot of young players who sweat it out, travelling week after week, facing tough challenges at WTA and ATP tours in India and abroad.
“I am so proud of our young Indian players because it is not easy to travel week after week to go out and play in challenging situations. It is really hard,” he said.
Further, Paes said he is ready to motivate young players and share some his tricks.
“Yesterday, after Jeevan (Nedunchezian) and Bala’s (N Sriram Balaji) match, which they lost. I took them out and showed them a few things. So, I am ready to help and motivate young players and share some of my tricks to make them better players,” he added.