It is a big honor for Asian Tennis Association that it has won a laurel by a great achievement as Former double world No.1 Leander Paes and the broadcaster and promoter Vijay Amritraj of India becoming the First Asian men to be part of International Tennis Hall Of Fame .This big achievement was made in two categories ,1st among the players category, Peasant 18-time GS champion in doubles and mixed doubles ,while Amritraj with UK’s Evans were inducted in the contributor category, the one which is meant to be for election in every two years.
Olympic medallist Leander Paes and Vijay Amritraj became the first men from the Asian continent to be elected into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.https://t.co/7nj0s1am6P
— Scroll.in (@scroll_in) December 15, 2023
The duo will help India become the 28th country to be represented in the Hall of Fame.
The contributor category is one which is recognition for those who are truly pioneers with visionary leadership and also those individuals or groups making a profound impact on the very sport.
The honor earned by Paes, Amritraj and Evans soon joining an elite group of 264 inductees of IHOF from 27 nations-with this induction India will become 28th nation to include in the HOF.
Peas,in an interview said “It has been my life’s honor to play for my country for over three decades in a sport that has given and taught me everything. This acknowledgement is indeed the ultimate accolade for every tennis player. Induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame belongs not just to me ,but to our billion-plus Indians.”
#HallofFame | Class of 2024! #LeanderPaes and #VijayAmritraj have become the first Indian tennis players to make it to the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/F9SiCzzuHm
— DD News (@DDNewslive) December 15, 2023
Paes further said with joy, “Receiving this honor culminates a professional journey of a lifetime ,standing on the shoulders of greats and sets the tone for other youngsters in Asia and around the world.”
Paes got an honor ,in his three -decade career, to be topper in the world ranking in doubles winning 18 GS titles that includes Eight doubles GS titles and 10 titles in mixed doubles , and another honor for Peas to be the only one of three men in the tennis history to gain a career Grand Slam in both categories of the game.
Paes is also sharing former partner, and the famous of tennis players Martina Navratilova , to win the most of the mixed doubles in the tennis history .Another feather to cap of Paes is that he and Marina Hingis are the ones of only two mixed double team in the Open Era to make it done in a career together.
The track record of Paes tells that he spent 462 weeks as a tennis player inside the Association of Tennis Players doubles top 10 that includes 37 weeks to be No.1 and also winning 55 doubles titles on different tours.
Thirty years of Proud representation of India in International arena of Tennis making a history by winning a Davis Cup record 45 doubles in his career. The 7 times record representation in Olympic Games , the most in tennis history for any of the Indian, being only Olympic medalist for India in Tennis ,with honor of seizing bronze in singles at Atlanta Games in 1996 .
Kim Clijsters, Honorary President of ITHF and Class of 2017 Hall of Famer said,” I am thrilled to congratulate Leander Paes, Vijay Amritraj and Richard Evans on their election to the International Tennis Hall of Fame.”