Leander Paes and David Rikl clinched one of the three remaining berths for the Doubles Championship in the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, from November 8-16, the ATP announced on Friday.
Paes, who has been sidelined since August due to a lesion in his brain and still awaits clearance from his doctors to resume competitive play, said he is looking forward to his return to the Tour.
"The last three months have been extremely difficult for me and I feel I have been granted a new lease, not only in tennis, but in life," said Paes.
"It is an absolute honour to qualify for the Masters Cup, and I'm even more delighted to have achieved it in my first year with David Rikl.
"My destiny is in the hands of my doctors, and I'll have my final MRI later this month to determine if I am able to play in Houston," he added.
Paes and Rikl, ranked number seven on the ATP Doubles race, teamed for the first time this season and put together a 29-13 match record, winning titles in Dubai and Gstaad while reaching the final at TMS Miami. They also advanced to the semi-finals of the Masters Series events at Indian Wells and Hamburg, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Paes was runner-up with Mahesh Bhupathi in three previous year-end championships, in 1997, 1999 and 2000.
Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley of Australia, and Martin Damm and Cyril Suk are the other two teams to qualify for the eight-team year-end championship.
They join Roland Garros champions Bob and Mike Bryan, Mahesh Bhupathi-Max Mirnyi, Mark Knowles-Daniel Nestor, Wimbledon and US Open winners Jonas Bjorkman-Todd Woodbridge, and Australian Open champions Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro, who are ranked one to five in that order.
This is the first time since 1985 that the singles and doubles year-end championships will be held at the same venue.
The Tennis Masters Cup is the culminating event of the men's professional tennis season and is co-owned by the ATP, ITF and Grand Slams. The top seven players in the ATP Champions Race plus eligible Grand Slam champions qualify for the eight-man round-robin event. The world No. 1 was crowned during the week of the Tennis Masters Cup in each of the past three years.
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