Vishnu does have grass court shoes & looks at Leander’s comments in a positive light

The statement by Leander Paes on whether Vishnu Vardhan even possesses a grass court shoes drew a lot of flak from public and fans as it was in bad taste for his would to be partner in Olympics. It created an outburst on social networking platforms. Users tweeted about his lack of grace and uncalled-for comments. But the man about whom Paes commented remained unperturbed. "Yes, I do have grass court shoes," Vardhan told Pune Times.

Vishnu didn't find the comments offensive and instead looked at them in a positive light. "There is nothing offensive about it. It's just that Leander is concerned whether I am fully equipped and have the right shoes," he said. "It shows that he is worried about every detail. Getting the shoes right in a game is very important. Some players don't have grass court shoes and continue to play with hard court shoes. I think that is why Leander was concerned as the wrong pair can affect the game," he reasoned. In a previous interview, Vishnu had spoken about how Leander is an inspiration for him, and that has remained unchanged, says the Times Of India report.

It's a matter of interpretation of his words, feels Vishnu who will partner Leander for the men's doubles at the Olympics. "I know I haven't played a Wimbledon or another big tournament like Leander or Mahesh Bhupathi, but I am absolutely ready for the Olympics.”

Meanwhile former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Saturday welcomed the decision by Leander Paes to participate in next month's Olympics after threatening to pull out for being paired with lower-ranked Vishnu Vardhan, says a report in The Indian Express. "It's a very good news that at the end of the day, he will be competing at the Olympics. He has shown the right attitude," Ganguly said.