Tuesday, October 3 2006 15:06 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Pune: Indian tennis ace Leander Paes yesterday (Oct 2,2006) said he was sure that in the next few years players of international calibre would emerge even from small cities like Pune because of the kind of training facilities that are now available in the country.

Paes, who won his first Grand Slam men's doubles title in five years at the US Open last month, said of late training facilities were on upswing in the country, which is good for the future of the budding talents.

"In my time, the kind of training that is now available like at the Nandan Bal Tennis Academy were not there. Proper training at such academies would surely produce tennis players of international class," he told reporters after inaugurating the Nandan Bal Tennis Academy at Magarpatta near here.

The 33-year-old, who later visited Endurance Gym at Kothrud in the city, said he was able to survive for 16-long years in the sport because of self-motivation, endurance, fitness and discipline.

"Whatever be the age and irrespective of the strata of society a person belongs to, if he is disciplined and fit, he can make a mark.

"I do not consider myself a genius or a very talented player. However, whatever success I have had achieved in the tennis court it is because of my faith in the attributes of disciplin and fitness," Paes added.