Olympics tennis flashback: When an inspired Leander Paes created history at Atlanta ’96

Tennis men’s singles finalist, left, bronze medal winner Leander Paes of India, center, silver medal winner Sergi Bruguera of Spain and, right, gold winner Andre Agassi celebrate during the Olympic Games on August 3, 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Getty Images)

“In the semis I meet Leander Paes, from India. He’s a flying jumping bean, a bundle of hyperkinetic energy, with the tour’s quickest hands. Still, he’s never learned to hit a tennis ball. He hits off-speed, hacks, chips, lobs — he’s the Brad of Bombay. Then, behind all his junk, he flies to the net, covers so well that it seems to work. After an hour, you feel as if he hasn’t hit one ball cleanly — and yet he’s beating you soundly. Because I’m prepared, I stay patient, stay calm, and beat Paes 7-6 6-3.”

These were the words used by Andre Agassi to describe his Atlanta Olympics semi-final against Paes in his book “Open: An Autobiography”.

Leander Paes has a glittering record at tennis Grand Slams with 13 doubles titles. However, it is the mention of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics that really make his eyes light up. It was an inspired performance against the odds and expectations by Paes to win the Olympic bronze medal, which was India’s first individual medal in more than 4 decades.

There were almost no medal expectations from the 49-member Indian contingent at Atlanta, and Paes was a relatively unknown 23-year-old. Ranked 126 in the world singles rankings, he entered the singles draw through a wild-card.

He had reached the quarterfinals with Ramesh Krishnan at Barcelona Olympics four years earlier, but was yet to win a singles match in any Grand Slam. He had won the Wimbledon boys’ singles title, and had played some inspired matches for India in the Davis Cup, but no one had any real hopes from him in that edition of the Olympics.

Paes had his task cut out with a tricky draw. He faced world number 20 Richey Reneberg of the USA in the first round. The match was tied at one set each, when the American had to retire due to injury.

In the second round, he faced Venezuelan Nicolas Pereira, who was world number 74, and Paes didn’t have to break much sweat to see off his opponent’s challenge in straight sets. Paes admitted later that the thought of a medal first struck him after he won the second round, but he kept quiet, not wanting to raise expectations.

Buoyed by the victories, Paes continued his run by defeating much higher ranked and more fancied Thomas Enqvist (world number 10) and Renzo Furlan (world number 26) to qualify for the semi-final.

The semis had a stiff challenge waiting for him in the form of world number 3 and a winner of multiple Grand Slams, Andre Agassi, who had also been a seasoned Davis Cupper and relished the pressure of representing his country.

Paes stretched Agassi to a first-set tiebreak, but a missed volley at a crucial time handed the advantage to the American. Agassi used all his class and experience to close out the match at 7-6, 6-3. Paes lost the match, but won hearts.

Agassi complimented his opponent for his fight in the match, saying “He hit like maybe 25 drop shots. That’s strange. But just because he plays strange doesn’t mean it’s not good. It’s just strange.”

Agassi’s father Mike told Dr Vece Paes (Leander’s dad): “Amazing. My boy is supposed to play well, but your boy has been playing this week like a Top 4 player.” Former Wimbledon champion Virginia Wade said to Paes: “You were lovely”. Billie Jean King told Paes’ coach Jaideep Mukherjea: “You’ve got a raw talent there. He’s a Top 30 player for sure.”

Paes was aware that he had his chances in the match, and the outcome could have been different if he had taken them. When asked about his reaction after the match, he said “If I had lost 6-2, 6-2 to Agassi, it would have been fine, but to have come so close…” and then he became quiet, still pondering over the missed opportunity to qualify for the final and assure himself of a medal.

Leander Paes of India stands on the podium after winning a bronze medal in the men’s singles tennis event at the Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia on August 3, 1996. (Getty Images)

However, all was not lost. He had the chance to redeem himself in the playoff for 3rd place and the bronze medal. But he had to let go off the disappointment of losing to Agassi, and also overcome the pain caused by a wrist injury he suffered in the semi-final.

Brazilian Fernando Meligeni, world number 93 who had lost to Sergi Bruguera in the other semi-final, was his opponent in the playoff. Paes felt the nerves before the game. He later described the emotions he underwent: “I got up edgy in the morning. Normally, I go through my routine, but I couldn’t keep from thinking about the match.”

He knew there were now high expectations from him. The team physician told him “You’re the one who can do it, please get us the medal.” While he was waiting at the locker room before the game, one friend who noticed his nervousness and told him “Relax. Just go out and do your best.” “No”, Paes replied, “I have to win, I’m too close.”

The match got off to the worst possible start for Leander. His game, which had served him so well so far, began to falter. Meligeni won the first set 6-3, and his hopes of the bronze medal started diminishing.

His cause wasn’t helped by a rain delay, and he later described the situation as: “I didn’t work on strategy; I just wanted the match over by now. I was playing emotional tennis, I wasn’t thinking.”

However, he managed to play some inspired tennis and found a way to win the next two sets 6-2, 6-4 to win the match 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 and seal the bronze medal for himself. Meligeni was in awe of his opponent’s display and said “You never know what he’s doing the next point. It’s not easy to play him”

On a day when he probably played his worst tennis in the fortnight he had spent at Atlanta, Paes had managed to achieve the biggest victory in his career. When asked about how he managed to pull it off, he gave a one-word reply: “Guts”.

It was a proud moment for the country when he stood on the podium with Agassi and Bruguera with his medal. Paes went on to script many great victories for India in Davis Cup, and also achieved glory for himself in the doubles circuit.

However, if he were to select one particular achievement that he relishes, it would be the bronze medal that he won for the country against the odds.

Senior journalist Rohit Brijnath aptly described the glorious day in July 1996 as “The day Leander dissolved an Indian cynicism, the day he produced such charismatic courage that he had the capacity to move, the day when that strangest of things happened. Athletes win for themselves first. But that day, he let us think he was winning for us.”