India tennis ace Leander Paes empathised with India cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who recently underwent tense moments after a lump was detected over his left lung. "I was shocked to hear about Yuvraj but I don't know the details of what actually happened to him, as I was away (for the World Tour Finals in London)," Paes told MiD DAY yesterday.

Yuvraj's mother Shabnam told of how she was "devastated and just couldn't accept the news" and feared it could be cancer. Fortunately, a third biopsy confirmed that the tumour was benign and can be treated through proper medication and therapy.

Paes suffered from a similar life-threatening ailment in 2003. A few weeks after winning the mixed doubles Wimbledon title with Martina Navratilova, he was admitted to the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Orlando for a suspected brain tumour. It was later found to be neurocusticerosis, a parasitic brain infection.
 
Paes recalled those tense moments but with a smile. "It was a very tough phase of my life. I suffered a lot... for almost a year," said Paes, who was restricted to bed rest and under stringent medication for months after being discharged from hospital.

Speaking of Yuvraj's case, the five-time Olympian was intrigued to learn that the cricketer played the World Cup through pain. "Yuvraj's story is phenomenal. To suffer like that is tough. I've been through it, so I know. It'll be great to see him back to cricket soon," said Paes.