Martina wishes Paes speedy recovery By Krittivas Mukherjee, Indo-Asian News Service
Kolkata, Aug 23 (IANS) News of Indian tennis star Leander Paes' illness has distressed his mixed doubles partner Martina Navratilova, who has wished him a speedy recovery. A message posted by Navratilova on her personal website said she was distressed by her partner's sudden illness and had sent him an SMS asking him to get well soon. Navratilova won the mixed doubles titles of the Australian Open and Wimbledon this year partnering Paes, 16 years her junior. The two were slated to appear together in U.S. Open starting Monday, but the Indian ace's brain ailment has put paid to that plan. Paes, 30, was admitted to the MD Anderson Cancer Centre in Florida, where a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan revealed a lesion in the left occipital region of his brain. Doctors say it could be cyst but have not ruled out the possibility of a tumour. Medical tests are on to determine the nature of the ailment. Navratilova noted in her message that if she and Paes could win the U.S. Open, they could have created history by becoming the first mixed doubles pair to win three consecutive Grand Slam titles. Paes has reportedly been receiving a steady stream of well-wishers and fans at his hospital. His estranged doubles partner and compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi met him at the hospital Thursday and the two had lunch together. "It was great to see him in high spirits. One could hardly make out he was carrying a cyst in his brain. "He said there were still a lot of tests being conducted," Bhupathi was quoted by some newspapers as saying from New York. Bhupathi, who together with Paes made up the Indian Express team, said he did not talk tennis because "that can wait". Meanwhile, doctors at the Orlando hospital said no diagnosis was possible until they had all the test results. In Kolkata, people prayed at temples, churches and mosques for his quick recovery. "We are worried for him. I have seen him grow up from a little boy and can't imagine something like this can happen to a lively, vivacious man like him," said Sheikh Rezaur Rehman, the owner of a saloon near the Paes residence in south Kolkata. Rehman led some tennis fans in prayer at a mosque. Members of a tennis club offered prayers at a Hindu temple. Prayers are also being offered in churches. The Missionaries of Charity (MoC), Mother Teresa's order, has held a special prayer for his recovery. "I'm sure he will be ready and back to his confident self by the time India plays Holland in the Davis Cup World Group playoff tie," said Rudra Basu, a 32-year-old marketing professional and a die-hard tennis fan. Leander has won 27 men's doubles titles in his career so far. He bagged the French Open and Wimbledon titles in 1999 partnering Bhupathi. The two teamed up again in 2001 to win the French Open. Paes also won the mixed doubles with Martina Navratilova at this year's Australian Open and Wimbledon. --Indo-Asian News Service ########################################################################## # Send submissions for Goanet to [EMAIL PROTECTED] # # PLEASE remember to stay on-topic (related to Goa), and avoid top-posts # # More details on Goanet at http://joingoanet.shorturl.com/ # # Please keep your discussion/tone polite, to reflect respect to others # ##########################################################################
