Indian Tennis Legends Enter in International Hall of Fame

Historic Induction of Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj

• First Asian men inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
• Leander Paes inducted in the 'Player Category'
• Vijay Amritraj honored in the 'Contributor Category'
• Ceremony held in Newport, USA
• Emotional moment for both players, seen fighting tears during the event
• Total Hall of Fame inductees now at 267 from 28 nations

Leander Paes: A Tennis Trailblazer

• Only Indian to win an Olympic medal in tennis (Bronze, 1996 Atlanta)
• Won 19 Grand Slam titles (men's doubles and mixed doubles) from 1999 to 2015
• Achieved career Grand Slams in both men's and mixed doubles
• Competed in seven consecutive Olympic Games (1992-2016)
• Spent 37 weeks as World No. 1 in doubles
• Won 54 doubles titles on tour
• One of only three men to capture a career Grand Slam in both doubles disciplines

Vijay Amritraj: Pioneer and Contributor

• Distinguished career from 1970 to 1993
• Won 15 ATP singles titles with 399 match victories
• Reached a career-high world ranking of 18th
• Led India to Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987
• Reached quarterfinals at Wimbledon and US Open twice each
• Overcame severe childhood health issues to become a tennis star
• Post-retirement contributions include humanitarian efforts and promoting tennis in India

Impact and Legacy

• Both players expressed gratitude and emotion during the induction
• Paes acknowledged Amritraj's influence on his early career
• Amritraj's story serves as an inspiration, overcoming health challenges to achieve success
• Their induction highlights India's contribution to global tennis
• Both continue to inspire and promote tennis in India and internationally