Indian tennis stalwarts Leader Paes and Vijay Amritraj were inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 20, 2024.
Leander Paes
Leander Paes, who won the most doubles matches in the Davis Cup (45), also won eighteen Grand Slam tournaments, eight in doubles and ten in mixed doubles.
Mr. Paes won a bronze for India in singles at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He remains the only Indian to have won the Olympic medal.
A renowned tennis player who remained dedicated to the sport for over three decades, Mr. Paes is also a recipient of Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna, Padma Shri, and Padma Bhushan awards.
Speaking of the new achievement, Leander Paes expressed gratitude to his family and coaches and hoped his nomination would inspire kids around the world and tell them that with hard work and passion, they, too, can be champions.
Tennis great Martina Navratilova called Paes her favorite mixed doubles partner.
Vijay Amritraj
In 1973, Vijay Amritraj reached the singles quarterfinals at the US Open and Wimbledon. In 1974, he reached the quarterfinals again at the US Open, and in 1981, he again made it to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
A retired tennis player and currently a resident of California, US, Vijay Amritraj continued his association with tennis via sports commentary.
He was part of the Indian Davis Cup team that stormed into finals in 1974 and 1987.
Mr. Amritraj has also acted in movies, including the James Bond film ‘The Octopussy’ and ‘Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.’