New Delhi: Indian tennis veterans Vijay Amritraj and Leander Paes flexed their dance moves after being introduced into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
It was not only a historic moment for the country but also for the continent as they became the first Asian men to receive the accolade.
The gala ceremony took place in Newport, Rhode Island in England and the duo were seen dancing and enjoying the beats of ‘Hall of Fame’ by The Script. British tennis journalist and author Richard Evans was also honoured in the event.
In his address, Paes reminisced about his early years, when he played hockey and football before deciding to focus on tennis. He went on to win an Olympic medal, continuing the legacy of his father.
“It’s my greatest honour to be on this stage with not only these legends of the game, people who have inspired me every single day of my life — not because you’ve only won Grand Slams, not because you’ve shaped our sport but every single one of these people have shaped the world we live in,” Paes said.
“I would like to thank you so much for giving this Indian boy hope.”
Paes, a former student of Amritraj’s youth academy, was inducted into the Hall of Fame in the player category, recognising his outstanding achievements. The 51-year-old won 18 Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles during his illustrious career. His induction, alongside Amritraj’s, made India the 28th nation represented in the Hall of Fame.
Paes achieved career Grand Slams in both men’s and mixed doubles, completing the men’s doubles Grand Slam with a win at the 2012 Australian Open and the mixed doubles Grand Slam with a victory at the 2016 French Open. He also won a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, defeating Brazil’s Fernando Meligeni 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Paes’s only ATP singles title came in 1998 on the grass courts of Newport, where he was on Saturday inducted into the Hall of Fame.
On the other hand, Amritraj, a notable Indian tennis player, had a distinguished career from 1970 to 1993, winning 15 ATP singles titles and achieving 399 match victories. He reached a career-high world ranking of 18th. Amritraj played a crucial role in leading India to the Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987, demonstrating his exceptional skills and leadership.
After retiring, Amritraj devoted himself to humanitarian efforts and supported ATP and WTA events in India, promoting the sport in his home country. He also ventured into acting, appearing in James Bond and Star Trek movie franchises.
–IANS