Vijay Amritraj, Richard Evans and Hall of Fame president Kim Clijsters applaud as former doubles world No. 1 Leander Paes of India reacts as he is inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island, U.S., on July 20, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Reuters
Former doubles world number one Leander Paes and tennis broadcaster, actor and player Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian men inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on July 20.
The first inductees from India were joined by British tennis journalist and author Richard Evans in enshrinement ceremonies at the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.
Paes recounted his youth playing football and hockey before turning to tennis and eventually following his hockey-captain father as an Olympic medalist.
“It’s my greatest honor 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.”
Amritraj, 70, 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.
“I am humbled and honored to join this incredible and exclusive group that have brought glory to our sport,” Amritraj said.
After his playing days, Amritraj has helped humanitarian causes, backed ATP and WTA events in India and has acted in the James Bond and Star Trek movie series.
“A feeling came over me that I had never experienced,” Amritraj said of learning about his election to the Hall. “This was an honor not just for me, for my family, for my parents, but for all of my fellow Indians and my country who live around the world.”
Like Amritraj, Evans was inducted in the contributor category for his life impact on the sport.
Paes, 51, 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.
– ‘Inspire the world’ –
Paes and Amritraj made India the 28th nation represented in the Hall of Fame.
“Playing for 1.4 billion people could either be pressure or it could be wind within your wings,” Paes said.
“I’d like to thank every single one of my countrymen who supported me, who stood by through all the ups and downs, and we’ve…