Tennis legend Leander Paes is set to make history as one of the first Indian players inducted into the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame. Paes, an 18-time Grand Slam champion, will display four of his cherished Grand Slam trophies and his Olympic bronze medal.
Alongside Paes, Vijay Amritraj, another Indian tennis great, will be inducted into the Class of 2024. Vijay Amritraj will showcase his Padma Shri which he received in 1983.
Leander Paes’s Tennis Legacy
Paes, a Padma Bhushan awardee, expressed his excitement about this ultimate honour. Only 274 individuals have been inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and Paes joins this elite group.
“I am going to be showcasing four Grand Slam winning trophies – Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open, four runners-up trophies because my father never lets me forget that I’ve lost 16 finals, and because it means so much to me, I am also sharing my Olympic medal (bronze in 1996) with the Hall of Fame,” Paes said.
“Along with that, there will be a tennis racquet from Wimbledon, a towel from my 2016 French Open win with Martina Hingis, my Davis Cup blazer and my Olympic tracksuit from 1996.”
His legacy as a champion and his contributions to the sport will forever resonate within these hallowed walls. As the tennis world celebrates his achievements, Paes stands tall as an inspiration for generations to come.
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