Indian tennis icons Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj achieved a historic milestone on Sunday by becoming the first Asian men inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Their illustrious careers, marked by numerous triumphs, have solidified their status as legends of the sport. (More Tennis News)
At 51, Leander Paes was honored with the prestigious Player Category induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. His extraordinary career, highlighted by 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games men's singles bronze, eight men's doubles and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, and countless Davis Cup victories, earned him this well-deserved recognition.
Similarly, Vijay Amritraj, a tennis pioneer, achieved remarkable success on the global stage. Reaching the quarterfinals of Wimbledon and the US Open twice each, and leading India to two Davis Cup finals, he solidified his place in tennis history. At his peak, he was ranked world No. 18 in singles and No. 23 in doubles.
He along with Richard Evans was inducted into the Hall of fame in the 'Contributor Category'.
"Paes was inducted in the Player Category, while Amritraj and Evans were recognised as a part of the Contributor Category: honoring visionary leaders, pioneers, or individuals who have made a consummate impact on the sport. The three inductees brings the total to 267 legends from 28 nations represented in the Hall of Fame," said the International Tennis Hall of Fame statement.
Paes dominated the doubles circuit, holding the world No. 1 ranking for 37 weeks and accumulating 54 doubles titles.
Paes achieved a historic feat by completing a career Grand Slam in both mixed doubles and men's doubles, a feat shared by only two other men in tennis history. Hailing from Kolkata, he set another record by competing in seven consecutive Olympic Games, from Barcelona 1992 to Rio 2016.
"I am so excited to share this with all of you, representing every young boy and girl around the planet who has a dream in their mind, passion in their hearts and fire in their belly," said Paes, who partnered Mahesh Bhupathi in men's doubles and took Indian tennis to great heights before their acrimonious split.
In mixed doubles he partnered two of the greatest women players -- Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis.
On the other hand, Amritraj, who came on the ATP Tour in 1970, was a key player on India's Davis Cup squad over the years. In fact, Amritraj was a key member of two Indian squads that qualified for in the Davis Cup final - in 1974 when country didn't play against South Africa due to its apartheid policy and in 1987, when it lost final to Sweden.
After his retirement from his playing career, he has become the face of tennis broadcasting, helping in the expansion of professional tennis.
"To my fellow Indians in India and around the world I can't thank you enough. You welcomed me to your homes to the big cities to the small towns and your growth was my growth alongside India’s growth. You shared my joy and sorrows with me."
Amritraj praised his parents for the impact they had made on his life.
Paes, Amritraj, and Evans were formally inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The trio received their iconic Hall of Fame blazers and were celebrated at the official Induction Celebration following the ceremony.
