Tennis ace Leander Paes, who is recovering from a parasitic infection in his brain in Orlando, USA, on Tuesday said he was deeply moved by his former doubles partner Mahesh Bhupahti's gesture of visiting him in hospital saying "it definitely built back the bridge that was almost broken between us".
Reflecting on the wonderful partnership he had with Bhupathi, which won the pair three Grand Slam titles, before their second separation last year, Paes said "one of the disadvantages, we, human beings have is that we don't forgive and forget very easily."
The pair popularly known as 'Indian Express' was scheduled to play at the Long Island ATP tournament in New York last week but pulled out after Paes was hospitalised.
"It was very heart warming and very special to have Mahesh here and spend about three hours with me. That was very nice of him. His visit definitely built back the bridge that was almost broken between us. It meant a lot to me," an emotional Paes told NDTV at the MD Anderson Cancer Hospital.
"I believe that once you love someone, that love remains forever. It's just that it is interpreted in a different way. As far as my relation with Mahesh... I hold him in very high regard. I support him in his tennis always and I enourage him to be the best he can be," Paes said.
Looking back at the formation of the partnership, the 30-year-old Kolkatan, ranked 4th in the world along with his current Czech partner David Rikl, said: "I have been fond of him (Mahesh) for many, many years as a kid. When he first came out of college I invited him to join me as doubles partner."
"We had some wonderful years. Wonderful memories that I will never forget," said Paes who more than 20 ATP titles with Bhupathi.
Paes also thanked tennis legend and mixed doubles partner Martina Navaratilova for her support while he had been undergoing treatment.
"The courage, the strength, she intsills in me with her words is also overwhelming. She actually calls me every two days," said Paes who formed a magical partnership with Navratilova, winning the Australian Open and the Wimbledon crowns this year.
"I'm very blessed to have a partner like Martina who is not only a legend of her game, not only a spokesperson for mankind ... She is one of the nicest persons I've ever met."
Greatly relieved after knowing that he did not have a brain tumour, Paes said "when you are in hospital you actually sometimes doubt how many days you have left and you want to maximise the days if you can.
"Now I know it is a simple parasite and it can be cured in a matter of two months. But it makes you realise not only how fragile life is but also to maximise my time on mother earth."
But Paes said he would miss the rest of the season. "I am definitely going to be out of the game for next two to three months minimum and from there see as to what condition I am in to come back and play at a professional level."
