The Indian tennis legend Leander Paes turned 50 at present. With a spectacular profession and 18 grand slam wins below his belt, no doubt, the mastermind on the garden is a residing legend.
Born on June 17, 1973, to Olympic bronze medalist Dr Vece Paes and Olympian Jennifer Paes, Leander grew to like sports activities at a really younger age. He developed a passion for tennis on the age of 5 and displayed promising potential. In 1995, he joined the Britannia Amritraj Tennis Academy in Madras and was coached by Dave O’Meara. He gained the Wimbledon Junior title in 1990 which was additionally the yr Paes joined the Indian Davis Cup group.
Leander Paes began enjoying professionally in 1991. He was instrumental in boosting the standing of India on the planet of tennis. The formidable tennis icon introduced dwelling a person sports activities Olympic medal, pushing India into an period of hope and rejuvenated enthusiasm. Almost three many years after enjoying in skilled circles Leander Paes retired from the game in 2021.
Chatting with Sportstar on turning 50 and his journey so far, Paes stated, “I really feel so blessed. I’m trying ahead to the subsequent 50, to offer it each single factor I’ve received, in one of the best ways I understand how. I wish to encourage kids everywhere in the world and say that ‘If Leander generally is a champion, so are you able to’.”
“There have been so many moments in my life, whether or not it was in 2012, the place I accomplished the profession Slam in males’s doubles on the Australian Open, or successful the French Open blended doubles in 2016, after shedding so many blended doubles finals and finishing the blended doubles profession Slam with Martina Hingis. It takes a little bit of doing to have the ability to play for 31 years and keep away from any main accidents,” added Paes.
The beloved tennis star had an illustrious profession and listed below are a number of highlights:
Eight Grand Slam Titles in Males’s Doubles: Australian Open (2012), French Open (2001, 2009), Wimbledon (1999), US Open (2006, 2009, 2013).
Ten Grand Slam Titles in Blended Doubles: Australian Open (2003, 2010, 2015), French Open (2016), Wimbledon (1999, 2003, 2010, 2015), US Open (2008, 2015).
Grew to become the primary Indian and Asian tennis participant to win an Olympic medal in 1996 (secured bronze on the Atlanta Olympics)
Participated in six consecutive Olympic video games since 1992 and was the flagbearer within the Sydney 2000 Olympic Video games for India.
Gained two gold medals within the Males’s Doubles with Mahesh Bhupati and Blended Doubles with Sania Mirza on the Doha Asian Video games in 2006.
Gained the Males’s Doubles with Marcin Matkowski on the 2014 Malaysian Open.
In 2017, Paes broke the file for essentially the most doubles wins by a single participant within the Davis Cup, overtaking Nicola Pietrangeli along with his forty third win.
In 2013 on the age of 40, he turned the oldest man to win a serious title after his win on the US Open males’s doubles.
The spectacular duo of Mahesh Bhupati and Leander Paes famously known as the “Indian Specific” nonetheless maintain the Davis Cup file for the longest streak of doubles victories.
‘Lee-Hesh’, the Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati duo, have three Grand Slam titles and 25 ATP tour titles.
Leander Paes was introduced the Arjuna Award in 1990, the Main Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award in 1996, Padma Shri in 2001, and Padma Bhushan, India’s third-highest civilian award, in 2014.
