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Paes denies allegations by Rhea; Bhupathi comes out in support
Indian tennis veteran Leander Paes on Monday denied allegations made by his partner, Rhea Pillai, with whom he is locked in a custody battle for their daughter, Aiyana, and made it clear that he intends to compete at Wimbledon and the US Open this season.
Pillai, a former model, had filed a complaint against Paes with the police alleging he had locked her out of her own house.
Pillai stays at Paes's house in Bandra, suburban Mumbai.
"I categorically deny all the allegations and lies made against me by Rhea Pillai. My lawyers and I have documentary proof to support every single claim in the guardianship petition I have filed. I hope justice will prevail in the interest of my daughter and would leave the process of investigation to the courts of India," Paes, a hero of India's numerous Davis Cup victories and multiple Grand Slam winner, said in a statement.
"Bond between Aiyana and Me: My daughter means the world to me and I cherish the bond we share. It is solely in the interest of her protection that I have taken the necessary legal steps to seek her custody," Paes added.
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Pillai is an irresponsible mother, says Paes
Paes had said that he may stop playing tennis for the sake of his daughter.
However, the aging star, who has expressed a wish to play in a record seventh Olympics at Rio, said he has no intention to quit the game at least this season.
"In the meantime I intend to continue with the ATP Tour and participate in the grass court season leading to Wimbledon and the hard court season leading to the US Open," he said.
Paes, 40, had earlier filed a petition in the family court seeking his daughter's custody on grounds that Pillai is an irresponsible mother.
In his 30-page petition, filed on May 3, Paes alleged that Rhea's "escapades, indiscreet and irresponsible behaviour, lack of personal maternal supervision, volatile temper and self-indulgence created insecurity in the child and was detrimental to a healthy upbringing".
Paes's petition also claims that he would be a better parent than Rhea.
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'His nature is far from abusive. He can never get violent either'
Meanwhile, Paes’s former doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi, with whom he had a bitter fall-out, spoke in his favour, claiming he could “never get abusive or violent".
"I've spent a lot of time with Leander and can vouch for the fact that his nature is far from abusive. He can never get violent either. On the contrary, if he is angry or upset, he simply withdraws and goes into a shell,” Bhupathi told Mumbai newspaper Mid-day.
Paes and Bhupathi won three men's doubles Grand Slam titles together before parting ways in 2011.
“Leander and I may have had a difference of opinion and split, but this is a very emotional moment in his life and I’d like to support him.
"I’ve been through a divorce myself and realise how tough this can be. Lawyers somehow revel in this kind of mudslinging," added Bhupathi.