Press Trust of India Posted online: Wednesday, August 20, 2003 at 1300 hours IST
New Delhi, Aug 20: Five-time grand slam champion Leander Paes has been ruled out of the upcoming US Open championships after being hospitalised in Orlando, US, for brain lesion.
"We have not officially informed the All India Tennis Association but he (Paes) he will be out of action for the next one month," Leander's father Dr Vece Paes said from Kolkata.
"We are yet to get the results of his diagnosis but he will not be able to play the US Open and is also out of the Davis Cup (world group qualifying tie against Holland from September 19-21) at this stage," Dr Paes said.
Leander Paes reportedly suffered severe headaches during his first round doubles match last week in Cincinnati, Ohio, and later checked himself into an emergency room near his Orlando base three days later.
He was moved to MD Anderson Cancer Centre after a scan revealed lesion in his brain's left occipital region.
"He initially suspected it (headache) to be due to dehydration," Dr. Vece Paes said.
"It is not a desperate situation. The medical results are still awaited, it could be due to infection which is prevalent in India," he added.
Leander Paes was to team up with former partner Mahesh Bhupathi at the $355,000 ATP tour event in Long Island, New York, this week but the duo withdrew due to Leander's illness.
Leander won three grand slam doubles titles with Bhupathi and the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 1999 with Lisa Raymond. He teamed up with legendary Martina Navratilova to capture the Australian Open title earlier this year.
