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IMAGE: Leander Paes will probably be inducted into the Corridor of Fame on July 20, 2024. {Photograph}: Tony O’brien/Reuters
Former doubles world No. 1 Leander Paes was lately elected to obtain the Final Honour in Tennis – induction into the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame – because the Class of 2024.
Paes, an 18-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and blended doubles, has been chosen within the Participant Class to obtain tennis’ Final Honour.
The Class of 2024 will probably be formally inducted into the Corridor of Fame on Saturday, July 20, 2024 in Newport, Rhode Island. Paes will be part of an elite group of 264 inductees from 27 nations – with India set to change into the twenty eighth nation represented within the Corridor of Fame.
Talking in regards to the induction, Leander Paes stated “It has been my life’s honour to play for my nation for over 3 many years in a sport that has given me and taught me all the pieces and this acknowledgement is certainly the last word accolade for each tennis participant.
“The Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame induction belongs not simply to me however to our billion plus Indians and to each younger child who nurtures a dream of their coronary heart and hearth of their stomach to observe their passions.”
“Being born right into a sporting household legacy was a frightening realization impressed by my mother and father, I’ve at all times been motivated to face and listen to the nationwide anthem which has spurred me on ever since I picked up a wood tennis racket as a five-year-old.
“The challenges that I encountered from taking part in gully cricket and avenue soccer within the by lanes of Calcutta dreaming of representing my nation to getting mugged as a young person at Grand Central Station to hitchhiking rides via European tournaments and sleeping in chilly locker rooms when one couldn’t afford a resort room to then occurring to elevate a number of Wimbledon trophies within the presence of royalty, standing on an Olympic podium with a singles medal emulating my father, reaching the all-time doubles win document in Davis Cup for India and finishing profession Grand Slams in each males’s doubles and blended doubles has been nothing in need of a dream.
“Receiving this Corridor of Fame honour as the first Asian man within the Participant Class culminates knowledgeable journey of a lifetime standing on the shoulders of the greats and units the tone for a lot of different kids in Asia and world wide,’’ he added.
Throughout his three-decade profession, Leander Paes set a gold normal of tennis success in Asia. With eight doubles Grand Slam titles and ten in blended doubles, he’s considered one of solely three males in tennis historical past to seize a profession Grand Slam in each disciplines. Paes can be tied together with his former associate, Corridor of Famer Martina Navratilova, for probably the most blended doubles main titles in historical past.
Moreover, he and Corridor of Famer Martina Hingis are considered one of solely two blended doubles groups within the Open Period to finish a profession
Grand Slam collectively. Paes alongside together with his fellow Indian Mahesh Bhupathi have been additionally the first ever males’s doubles staff within the Open period to make all 4 Grand Slam finals in a calendar 12 months (1999).
Paes spent a complete of 462 weeks contained in the ATP doubles prime 10, together with 37 weeks at No. 1, and gained 55 doubles titles on tour with a document 25 year-end finishes inside the highest 100, a sheer testomony of his longevity on the highest degree with him being the one man with ATP Tour, Davis Cup and Grand Slam match wins in
4 completely different many years. Paes alongside together with his Corridor of Famer idol Rod Laver are additionally the one two males to win Wimbledon and Roland Garros titles in three completely different many years.
Paes proudly represented India in worldwide competitors for 30 years, successful a Davis Cup document 45 doubles rubbers throughout his profession and 93 complete wins in singles and doubles giving him the 4th highest of
all-time Davis Cup wins. He competed in a document seven consecutive Olympic Video games, probably the most in tennis historical past, and is India’s solely Olympic medallist in tennis, capturing bronze in singles on the 1996 Atlanta Video games.
As well as, Paes is probably the most embellished male tennis participant in Asian Video games historical past with 8 medals in addition to a former junior singles world No 1 with 2 junior Slam titles.
By successful the Corridor of Fame’s Fan Vote in October, Paes obtained three added proportion factors to his poll totals from the Official Voting Group.
The Class of 2024 will probably be inducted Saturday, July 20, 2024 on the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island throughout Enshrinement Weekend celebrations.
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