Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj enlisted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj
enlisted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame
Leander Paes former doubles World No. 1 and Vijay Amritraj
tennis broadcaster, actor and player emerge as first Asian men to be enlisted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, Rhode Island on Saturday.
The first enlisters were joined by British tennis journalist and author Richard Evans in enshrinement ceremonies.
Laendar recalled his youth playing football and hockey before switching to tennis and finally following his hockey captain father as an Olympic medallist.
Leander went on to add that it’s his greatest honour to be on the stage with not only these legends of the game, but even by the people who have inspired him every single day of his life – not because having only won Grand Slams, not because shaped our sport but every single one of these people have shaped the world they live in.
Notedly, Amritraj, played from 1970 until retiring in 1993, winning 15 ATP singles titles and 399 matches and being ranked as high as 18th in the world and helped India to the Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987.
Amritraj voices that he feels humbled and honoured to join this incredible and exclusive group that brought glory to their sport.
Amritraj overcome with emotion articulated that after his playing days, he has helped humanitarian causes, backed ATP and WTA events in India and acted in the James Bond and Star Trek movie series.
A feeling came over him that he had never experienced that is learning about his election to the Hall.
Adding that this was honour was not just for him, his family, his parents, but for all of his fellow Indians and his country who live around the world
Like Amritraj, Evans was enlisted in the contributor category for his life impact on the sport. Paes, was an 18-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles who was selected in the player category after honing his trade in an Amritraj youth academy.
Paes and Amritraj made India the 28th nation represented in the Hall of Fame. Leander stated that playing for 1.4 billion people could either be pressure or it could be wind within their wings. He would like to thank every single one of the countrymen who supported him, and stood by through all the ups and downs, and they have been through a few, but people were the inspiration, the support, they were even the strength to guide him through when even he didn’t envision.
News Edit K.V.Raman
