look news india
Newport, July 20 (HS). It was like refreshing old memories for Indian tennis legend Leander Paes when he visited the International Tennis Hall of Fame museum in Newport with his family.
Among Leander’s memorabilia, which will now be on display in this quaint, affluent seaside town on the US East Coast, his most cherished possession is his 1996 Atlanta Olympics bronze medal.
“I started playing the sport because I wanted to be like my father who won an Olympic medal (bronze at Munich 1972). My parents were there (in Atlanta), and they mean a lot to me. Both my siblings sacrificed a lot for me. I am here because I have received love and support from so many people,” Leander said as he tried to hold back his tears in front of a hall full of well-wishers.
The Atlanta win against Brazil's Fernando Meligno in the bronze medal match cemented Leander's place in Indian sporting folklore. A country hungry for Olympic success suddenly had a new hero who was not a cricketer.
Leander's win inspired a generation of Indian athletes to believe that they too could compete with the best. And since that historic medal, India has never returned empty-handed from the Olympics.
Leander always expressed his emotions openly on the tennis court; his emotions and courage were as much a part of his game as his quick reactions at the net. His passion grew manifold when he was playing for India – be it Davis Cup, Olympics or Asian Games.
About Martina Navratilova, with whom he won two mixed doubles Grand Slams, Paes said, “She has been my guide and has inspired me through a long period of lifestyle – diet, sleep, training methods, recovery. I got a chance to play with her in 2003 and we won the Australian Open and Wimbledon. Playing with her was special because I grew up watching her play on black-and-white television in Kolkata and then knowing her as a person, winning Wimbledon together is special. She is not just a champion of tennis, she is a champion of life.”
Navratilova and Leander's 2003 Wimbledon trophy is also displayed here.
The Class of 2024 wall, located at the museum's entrance in the historic Newport Casino Building, commissioned in 1879, will also be home to another Indian tennis legend, Vijay Amritraj. For Vijay Amritraj, included in the contributor category, sports has always been a way to unite the world.
Vijay said, “When we got into this game called tennis, my parents were flying in the dark. Never knew where it would take us. I have often said that my greatest talent was being born to the right parents.”
He said, “My biggest sadness, I would say, is that they are not here with me to be able to share this situation. But it has been a huge work and effort on their part to get me to this position and make me something that I never even dreamed of.”