Leander Paes

BIOLeander Adrian Paes is an Indian professional tennis player whose impressive performance and memorable triumphs, both at the national and international levels, has brought laurels to the country. As the recepient of an Olympic bronze, seven doubles and six mixed doubles Grand Slam titles and numerous silver medals in other Grand Slam finals, he is considered to be one of the greatest and most respected contemporary doubles and mixed doubles players in the world. He is also the former captain of the Indian Davis Cup team. the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, in 1996–1997; the Arjuna Award in 1990; and the Padma Shri award in 2001 for his outstanding contribution to tennis in India are a some outstanding feathers in his hat. After turning professional in 1991, he rose to the numero uno position in no time even doing one better by beating Fernando Meligeni to win the bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He has paired with various other stalwart players to form prominent partnerships but none as much a crowd pleaser as the Leander Paes- Mahesh Bhupathi combo. In 1999, the duo reached the finals of all four Grand Slams, winning Wimbledon and the French Open, thus becoming the first Indian pair to win a doubles event at a Grand Slam. Leander Paes also teamed up with Lisa Raymond to win the mixed doubles event at Wimbledon following which he achieved the number one status in doubles. In 2009, he won the French Open and US Open Men's doubles titles with Lukas Dlouhy. The following year, saw him win the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Cara Black. Having won so many titles, awards and medals in his illustrious career spanning over a decade, he remains a champion and a true inspiration to the young Indian tennis players of tomorrow.