New Delhi, Feb 15: Tennis ace Leander Paes on Feb 16, received the NDTV Indian ''Sportsperson Of The Year'' award for his achievements in the season gone by.

Paes along with Cara Black bagged two Grand Slam titles in the Wimbledon and the Australian Open in the last season.

At the beginning of this year, he resumed his partnership with old-mate Mahesh Bhupathi, and the two immediately made an impact, winning the Chennai Open and reaching the finals of the Australian Open.

"It's a great feeling representing the county," Paes said after receiving the award.

"I am proud of our athletes, the athletes' performance in the Commonwealth games," he said.

Cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar, while waxing eloquence on the tennis star, wished Paes was a cricketer.

"I wish Leander was a cricketer. Had he been a cricketer, we would have definitely won the World Cup," Gavaskar said.

PTI