Leander Paes continues to span the sport’s generations, entertaining with the same youthful enthusiasm and passion that he first showcased 29 seasons ago. The evergreen Indian, a feisty competitor with a familar smile never far away, has today become the sixth player in ATP World Tour history (since 1973) to record 750 doubles match wins (750-433).

It is perhaps apt, that the 44-year-old hit the milestone on Davis Cup duty by recording his 43rd victory for India since his debut in March 1990, to break the long-standing match wins record of Italy’s Nicola Pietrangeli. In tandem with Rohan Bopanna, the duo has kept India in its Asia/Oceania Group I tie versus China on Saturday.

Only five other players – Mike Bryan, 45-year-old Daniel Nestor, who is in his final year as a pro, Bob Bryan, Todd Woodbridge and Max Mirnyi – have compiled a greater number of doubles victories than one of Asia’s finest sportsmen.

DOUBLES MATCH WINS LEADERS (Since 1973)
Paes is the sixth player in ATP World Tour history to attain 750 doubles match wins (as of 7 April 2018).

Paes has nothing to prove in his 45th year, but has no intention of stopping. The sport fascinates him.

“As crazy as it sounds, I am still learning and recently picked up a few things about the return of serve,” Paes told ATPWorldTour.com. “The sport is so dynamic that it changes so fast. I feel as if I have had to reinvent myself over the years. The trick is to stay young, to stay fast and to stay injury free in order to stay potent on the tennis court. After all these years, I take pride in commanding the court and leading the play. It’s something that pushes me, even on the hard days.”

Incredibly, there are 43 players in the current Top 100 of the ATP Rankings and 21 players in the Top 100 of the ATP Doubles Rankings who weren’t born when Paes first began his journey from being the world’s best teenager, a winner of the 1990 Wimbledon and 1991 US Open junior crowns, to perennial elite performer.

His rise to No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Rankings on 21 June 1999, his 55 doubles crowns (including eight men’s Grand Slam championships), one singles title (1998 Newport, d. Neville Godwin), the singles bronze medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, and the suspected brain tumour that cut short his 2003 season, are all part of his remarkable life and tennis career. They are also the very reason why he keeps competing, because Paes continues to strive to achieve something new in a sport that he loves and considers fun.

“I’m training very differently now than when I was in my 20s,” said Paes. “When I was in my 20s, I was spending eight or nine-hour days in repetition, creating muscle memory. But now, I feel like I’ve got the muscle memory. The quality of the practice, rather than the quantity is more important. Getting out there and being more match specific in training is important. I also feel that now my training is all about injury prevention, staying healthy and fresh over a long year.”

Having partnered 120 different players since his Davis Cup debut with Zeeshan Ali in March 1990, Paes has time and again showcased his lightning reflexes and hand-eye coordination, his deft touch from the baseline or the net, and his swift movement. “Lee is just a one-of-a-kind type of guy,” Mark Knowles told ATPWorldTour.com. “He has a unique ability to empower his partners and make them reach heights that maybe they didn’t believe they could attain.”

His longevity — let alone his drive and hunger to train, to practice and to compete — is mind boggling.

So did Paes think back in 1990 that he’d still be globe trotting? “I’d think you’re crazy!

“Coaching one day would be a natural transition for me, but at this moment I’d like to win a couple more Grand Slams before I get there!”

John Isner is fresh off the biggest title of his career, as the 32-year-old became the oldest first-time ATP World Tour Masters 1000 champion when he triumphed at the Miami Open presented by Itau last weekend.

Now, it’s on to the next challenge for the American — Isner will have to immediately dig into the red clay of the River Oaks Country Club as he seeks his second tour-level clay-court title, and his second in Houston at the Fayez Sarofim & Co. U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship.

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“It’s up to me now to keep pushing forward,” Isner said after his Miami victory. “This is a big hurdle for me, mentally more than anything, to get over the hump in a tournament like this.”

And it may not be long until the top seed faces a stern challenge in Houston, which is the right-hander’s home event — he now resides in Dallas. The World No. 9 will face German Dustin Brown or Swiss Henri Laaksonen in the second round. Isner lost against Brown in a third-set tie-break in Houston four years ago when he was attempting to defend his 2013 title.

Past Five Houston Champions

But Isner is not the only American seeded at the only ATP World Tour clay-court event in North America. He is projected to face sixth-seeded compatriot Steve Johnson in the quarter-finals for the right to potentially play No. 3 Jack Sock or No. 7 Ryan Harrison in the semi-finals.

Harrison became the youngest player — and remains so — to win an ATP World Tour Match since Rafael Nadal (2002 Mallorca) at 15 years old in Houston 10 years ago, qualifying before defeating Pablo Cuevas. The American, who advanced to the Brisbane final earlier this year, makes his return to Houston for the first time since that breakthrough when he faces a qualifier in the first round.

No. 2 Sam Querrey, a runner-up at this event in 2010 and 2015, will open his campaign against Argentine Guido Pella or a qualifier. No. 8 Tennys Sandgren joins Querrey on the other half of the draw.

One of Querrey’s potential semi-final opponents is making his debut in Houston — third seed Nick Kyrgios. The Australian, who is one of two players to have beaten Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meetings (Lleyton Hewitt), will open against compatriot Jordan Thompson or American Bjorn Fratangelo.

Read: After Three Months, Americans Top ATP Race To Milan

Two #NextGenATP Americans who have gotten off to fast starts in 2018 will look to continue their good form. Frances Tiafoe, who at the Delray Beach Open became the youngest American to win an ATP World Tour title since Andy Roddick at 2002 Houston, will look to back up his Round of 16 appearance in Miami with a first-round win against wild card Mackenzie McDonald. Taylor Fritz, 20, who achieved his best Masters 1000 result by reaching the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open, takes on compatriot Tim Smyczek. 

SPAIN 1, GERMANY 1
Venue: Plaza de Toros de Valencia, Valencia, ESP (clay- outdoor)

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal returned to action for the first time since the Australian Open on Friday, beating Germany’s Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 in Valencia.

The Spaniard hit 28 forehand winners throughout the two-hour, 33-minute clash at the bullring venue to score his 23rd consecutive Davis Cup singles victory and level the tie at 1-1. “It’s positive of course, winning in straight sets,” Nadal told DavisCup.com. “It was a solid match. I feel comfortable back on the clay.

”It’s always special to play at home at a bullring stadium, it’s very unique. It’s a great feeling to be back, coming back from injuries is always difficult, but it’s great to be in front of my crowd on a very memorable day. I’m very happy with the match.”

Nadal was under pressure to deliver a crucial first point for the home side after Alexander Zverev secured the opening point of the quarter-final with a convincing 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win over David Ferrer.

Despite dropping serve on five occasions, the World No. 4 broke the Spanish veteran 10 times to earn three-time champion Germany an early lead in eastern Spain after one hour and 55 minutes. The Miami Open presented by Itaú finalist moves to 3-0 in 2018 Davis Cup play after wins over Australia’s Alex de Minaur and Nick Kyrgios in the first round.

“I am just happy to get the result,” said Zverev. “I played more aggressively as the match went on. It is my first clay-court match in a very long time so it was great to find my rhythm so quickly.”

Germany is bidding to become the first team to beat Spain at home since Brazil in 1999, with Spain winning its past 26 ties on home soil.

ITALY 1, FRANCE 1
Venue: Valletta Cambiaso ASD, Genoa, ITA (clay – outdoor)

Lucas Pouille withstood a strong comeback effort to beat Italy’s Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-1 in Genoa.

The World No. 11 began well, breaking six times en route to a two-set lead, but Seppi fought back in front of his home fans to force a decider. Not to be denied, Pouille re-established control and raced to victory in the fifth set to secure defending champion France a 1-0 lead.

“The emotions are the maximum,” Pouille told DavisCup.com. “It’s great to win that type of match. I was two sets up, he came back; that was so tough for me in the fourth set. I tried to fight as hard as possible and in the end I decided to be more aggressive and I was very happy at the finish.”

Fabio Fognini levelled the tie at 1-1 going into Saturday’s doubles rubber, coming from a set down to beat Jeremy Chardy 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3.

The Italian won 70 per cent of points behind his first serve in the three-hour, 31-minute encounter to improve to 15-2 in Davis Cup singles rubbers on clay. Simone Bolelli and Paolo Lorenzi are scheduled to meet Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut on Saturday.

CROATIA 1, KAZAKHSTAN 0
Venue: Varazdin Arena, Varazdin, CRO (clay – indoor)

Marin Cilic began Croatia’s bid for a second Davis Cup World Group semi-finals appearance in three years with a dominant 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 win over Dmitry Popko.

The World No. 3 looked in fine form throughout the one-hour, 41-minute contest hitting 32 winners past the Kazakh to seal the first rubber in emphatic style. Cilic, who led Croatia to the Davis Cup final in 2016 (l. to Argentina), improves his Davis Cup singles record to 25-10.

Kazakh No. 1 Mikhail Kukushkin upset in-form Borna Coric 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4, 6-2 to end Day One with the teams tied at 1-1. Kukushkin broke the BNP Paribas Open semi-finalist on five occasions on his way to victory after three hours and 32 minutes. Ivan Dodig and Nikola Mektic are slated to meet Timur Khabibulin and Aleksandr Nedovyesov in the third rubber doubles on Saturday