Indian tennis legends Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj have been inducted into the sport’s Hall of Fame. They have become the first Indian and first Asian male tennis players to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. India has become the 28th country in the world whose tennis players have been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. British sports journalist Richard Evans was also inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame along with Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj. The total number of tennis legends inducted into the Tennis Hall of Fame has gone up to 267 from 28 countries. Leander Paes has been inducted into the player category in the International Tennis Hall of Fame, while Amritraj and Evans have been recognised as part of the contributor category. The International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) is a prestigious institution and museum dedicated to the sport of tennis. It is located in Newport, Rhode Island, United States. It serves as the official hall of fame for tennis and celebrates the history, achievements and contributions of outstanding individuals and organizations to the sport of tennis.
Leander Paes
- Leander Paes is considered one of the top doubles players in men’s tennis history and has won 18 Grand Slam titles, with ten titles in mixed doubles and eight in men’s doubles.
- He is one of only three men in tennis history to win a Grand Slam in men’s and mixed doubles disciplines.
- The Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open are the four Grand Slam tournaments in Tennis.
- Leander Paes has won 54 doubles titles on the ATP tour and has remained the number-one-ranked doubles player for 37 weeks.
- Leander Paes is the only tennis player in the world who has competed in a record seven Olympics.
- Leander Paes became the first and, to this day, only Indian tennis player to win an Olympic medal. He won bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Vijay Amritraj
- Vijay Amritraj was inducted into the contributor category, which honours individuals and groups that have made a significant impact on the sport.
- He popularised tennis in India and led the country to two Davis Cup finals in 1974 and again in 1987. After retirement, he became a popular tennis commentator and administrator for the Chennai Open Tennis tournament.
- Amritraj was also the first Indian appointed as the United Nations Messenger of Peace in 2001.
- In 2006, he launched the Vijay Amritraj Foundation to provide education and basic needs for women and children in India.