Going to be an emotional year: Tennis legend Leander Paes announces 2020 will be his farewell season

India’s star tennis player Leander Paes has confirmed that is long and decorated career will come to a close with the 2020 season.

In his Christmas message to fans, the decorated tennis player announced his farewell year on the tour. “I want to announce 2020 as my farewell year as a pro tennis player,” Paes wrote.

“Firstly, I want to thank my parents for their genetics, guidance, discipline, environment they created and unconditional love they have always shown me throughout my life. I would not be who I am without your unstinting support and belief in me,” he added before thanking his sisters and daughter as well.

Paes said he will be featuring in a select few tournaments through the year.

“I am looking forward to the 2020 tennis calendar where I will be playing a few select tournaments, traveling with my team and celebrating with all my friends and fans around the world. It is all of you who have inspired me to become me and I want to take this year to say ‘thank you’ to you.

“2020 is going to be an emotional one and I look forward to seeing all of you out there roaring with me,” he added.

Paes was earlier named in India’s Davis Cup squad for the controversial Pakistan tie after several top players made themselves unavailable to travel to Islamabad. In Nur sultan, the 46-year-old went on to better his own record by achieving his 44th Davis Cup doubles win as India routed Pakistan 4-0 last week.

The Olympic bronze medallist had recently said that the focus for Indian tennis should be on nurturing a new, young team.

“Already by 46, I should have been moved out by the next generation coming up,” Paes had said. “So to really be looking at it objectively, the health of the team, to nurture a younger team is what’s important.”

Paes, who is the most successful doubles player in the history of Davis Cup with 44 wins, recently dropped out of top-100 for the first time in 19 years.