"I was conceived during the 1972 Munich Olympics" - Leander Paes

In an emotional and inspiring induction speech at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Indian tennis legend Leander Paes paid homage to his mentors, family, and the transformative power of tennis. His words painted a vivid picture of a journey filled with dreams, dedication, national pride, and a profound vision for a more inclusive future through sport.

Mentorship and Early Dreams

Paes began by acknowledging the profound influence of the Amritraj family on his life and career. “I grew up watching these guys,” he reminisced, referring to Vijay and Anand Amritraj. “In 1986, on the 12th of May, I was selected for the Armitraj Tennis Academy, and I wouldn’t be who I am today without Mrs. Amritraj or Mr. Amritraj or Vijay Amritraj or Anand Amritraj.” He humorously recalled how Vijay initially doubted his potential, but his brother Anand saw something special in him. “Vijay would not give me an audition, so his brother took over. He said I wasn’t good enough. But Anand gave me an audition during Davis Cup in Calcutta, and at that point, I was on a football scholarship to a European football team. Tennis was not something I even knew how to wield a tennis racket. The eight boys at the Armitraj Academy were far better than me. I was the youngest, I was the smallest.”

Paes also shared a heartwarming anecdote about his close relationship with the Amritraj family, revealing that he even attended church with Vijay’s parents. “I also did my first holy communion and went to church every Sunday with Vijay’s parents. So the history that I share with his family is something I’m supremely grateful for.”

He then transported the audience back to 1986, when he met renowned sportswriter Richard Evans. “In the same year, in the end of 1986, one of the greatest writers of all time covering sport, and I learned today covering the Vietnam War, Richard Evans was also in India writing Vijay’s autobiography. And when we were sitting in our third-floor apartment, I introduced myself to Mr. Evans and he was wearing a beautiful royal blue jacket. And I said, ‘Good morning, sir. My name is Leander Paes.’ And he said, ‘What do you want to be?’ So I said, ‘I want to be an Olympic champion.’ And I remember back then he said, ‘If you work hard enough, you could also be a Hall of Famer.’ This was on the 12th of May 1986. I was 11.”

Family Legacy and National Pride

Paes spoke with immense pride about his family’s sporting legacy, painting a vivid picture of his childhood. “I grew up to a Bengali mother who was five foot nothing, captain in Indian basketball. Her jersey number was number five. I know because I used to iron it as a 7-year-old. I grew up to a father who played the 1972 Munich Olympics. He won a bronze medal. But during that Olympics, Palestinian terrorists took Israeli athletes hostage, and for all these amazing journalists, writers, historians, these people who are sitting in front of me, people I’ve looked up to for so many years, shared great relationships with, you’ll know the games were shut down for four days. I was conceived in those four days. I guess my parents had nothing else better to do.”

He underscored the profound impact his family’s values had on his own aspirations. “So in that, being born to an Olympic family, ironing my dad’s jersey, number 10, my mom’s jersey, number five, everything I lived for was for this, for the Indian flag, for the Indian people, to emulate my heroes, to try and etch my name in the history books.”

Paes acknowledged the weight of expectations that came with representing his nation. “Big shoes to fill in. Pressure. Pressure is not just a privilege. Pressure is when you’ve got 1.4 billion people vying for the same education or for the same groceries or for the same roof over their heads, pressure is something that’s really real. But then when you see champions who handle it with grace, you see champions who handle it with patriotism, the conversations on my dining table were that representing 1.4 billion people, you got to set the example.”

Tennis as a Unifying Force

Paes celebrated tennis as more than just a sport—it was a family, a source of inspiration, and a unifying force. He spoke of his admiration for fellow inductees Vijay Amritraj and Richard Evans, recognizing their pioneering roles. “To sit on the stage with these iconic people, not just in my life, but in the world of our sport is the greatest privilege, gratitude, love. Unconditional love and respect for these two men.” He shared his deep connection to the International Tennis Hall of Fame, recalling how he first learned about it while researching Vijay Amritraj’s career. “I heard of the Hall of Fame the first time when I researched that Vijay had won the singles there. I researched that the grass courts were really low and hence, his slice serve and his low volleys came into play. I’m not as tall as him, but I figured I could get down low to the grass too because I’m pretty short for a tennis player.”

Paes’s profound gratitude extended to the entire Hall of Fame community. “Today is a victory for every single one at the International Tennis Hall of Fame. I heard of the Hall of Fame the first time when I researched that Vijay had won the singles there.” He then made a touching gesture, announcing his decision to donate his Olympic medal to the museum. “This medal is going to sit in the museum at the Hall of Fame. And this basically is a symbol to me that if we can play street cricket and street football barefoot back in India and yet sit here as Hall of Fame representatives… If Sir Evans can cover the Vietnam War and still sit here and live to tell the tale… Tennis has given us every single thing that we’ve learned from, and these men showed me the way. They paved the way for me. So this thing’s going to sit in the Hall of Fame as the passion that I have for inspiring the world.”

A Vision for the Future

Paes concluded his speech with a powerful vision for the future of tennis, particularly in India and Asia. He emphasized the importance of making tennis more accessible and affordable, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. “I feel that in India even today, children are lucky to be having a club membership where you can play sport because it’s just very expensive. And I think that comes from exactly the question you asked, that the history of India, the culture and the community was built around home and club. Today, a club membership could be a hundred thousand pounds. Not every Indian can afford that.”

He highlighted the role of tennis in promoting gender equality and inclusivity. “I think tennis, why I’m so proud of being a representative of tennis and the ITHOF is that our sport was the pioneer of equal prize, equal scholarship, equal opportunity.” He contrasted the sport’s values of “love-all” with the divisions and conflicts prevalent in the world today. “If you look at the world today, we’re in a very vulnerable position. The wars that are going on across the world, the segregation that is going across. Before it was just color, now it’s about community, it’s about religion, it’s about caste, it’s about dialect, it’s about denomination of the gender that you think you belong to, and it’s become a real issue, this gender issue. But the beautiful part about our sport is just as we start tennis. It says “love-all”, right? It’s an inclusive sport. We include everybody in it.”

Paes ended his speech with a call to action, urging the tennis community to work together to grow the sport globally, particularly in Asia. “I think if we actually put our focus a little in that direction and try to use our broad shoulders to grow the game, I think that’s the way we should go.”

Leander Paes’s Hall of Fame induction speech was a masterful blend of gratitude, humor, passion, and vision. It was a testament to his remarkable career, his deep-rooted family values, and his unwavering belief in the power of tennis to inspire and unite people across the world. His words will undoubtedly continue to inspire generations of tennis players and fans for years to come.