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Wishing everyone a happy @Leander Paes jayanthi!
Here's a thread on facts and stories on one of India's greatest sportspersons
Here's a thread on facts and stories on one of India's greatest sportspersons
Leander's parents are both legends and are also Olympians for India.
His father Vece Paes represented India in hockey while his mum Jennifer Paes, nee Dutton captained the Indian basketball team.
Leander was conceived during the 1972 Munich Olympics.
His father Vece Paes represented India in hockey while his mum Jennifer Paes, nee Dutton captained the Indian basketball team.
Leander was conceived during the 1972 Munich Olympics.
Growing up @Leander excelled at many sports including football and cricket, though eventually tennis chose him.
He enrolled himself in the Britannia Amritraj Tennis academy in Madars in 1985 at the age of 12 and his journey with tennis began.
He enrolled himself in the Britannia Amritraj Tennis academy in Madars in 1985 at the age of 12 and his journey with tennis began.
After making his tennis debut in 1989 (the same year as a certain @sachin_rt debuted in Pakistan), Leander won the 1990 junior Wimbledon title and was ranked Junior number 1 in the world.
He also danced well while in his tennis gear :-)
He also danced well while in his tennis gear :-)
1990 also saw Leander play his favorite tournament, the Davis Cup for the first time.
He partnered with Zeeshan Ali and won a tight 5 set doubles game against Japan. It wasn't going to be the last time that Leander won a 5 set doubles match with the Davis Cup tie on the line.
He partnered with Zeeshan Ali and won a tight 5 set doubles game against Japan. It wasn't going to be the last time that Leander won a 5 set doubles match with the Davis Cup tie on the line.
In 1992, Paes participated in the Olympics for the first time in Barcelona. He played for India in six more Olympics - a record for a tennis player.
In 1992 Ramesh Krishnan and Paes lost in the quarterfinals but not before defeating the top seeds Woodbridge and Fitzgerald.
In 1992 Ramesh Krishnan and Paes lost in the quarterfinals but not before defeating the top seeds Woodbridge and Fitzgerald.
In 1996, @Leander won India’s first individual bronze after 44 years.
The last time an Indian had won an individual medal was when Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a bronze medal in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
The last time an Indian had won an individual medal was when Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav won a bronze medal in wrestling at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
Leander was given a wildcard entry.
He hadn’t qualified based on his rankings. He had a tough start when he lost the first set of the first game to 11th seed Richey Reneberg, but won 8 sets on the trot to reach the semis. Along the way he also defeated 3rd seed Thomas Enqvist.
He hadn’t qualified based on his rankings. He had a tough start when he lost the first set of the first game to 11th seed Richey Reneberg, but won 8 sets on the trot to reach the semis. Along the way he also defeated 3rd seed Thomas Enqvist.
@Leander lost a close 2 set game to eventual gold medalist and one of the greatest tennis players of all time @AndreAgassi
Here's the podium at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Don't all the medals look the same? Asking for a friend.
Here's the podium at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Don't all the medals look the same? Asking for a friend.
Here's @Leander @AndreAgassi and Sergi Bruguera 21 years after the previous photo was taken https://twitter.com/leander/status/869882452575236096
Agassi mentions Paes in autobiography -
“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......"
“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......"
"....— Then, behind all his junk, he flies to the net and covers so well that it all seems to work. After an hour you feel as if he hasn’t hit one ball cleanly - and yet he’s beating you soundly,”
Check out this insane play from Leander Paes in a game against Andre Agassi during the 1996 US open.
(Camera print alert, for those that know what it means)
(Camera print alert, for those that know what it means)
Leander had a good singles sting on the ATP tour.
He won one ATP title - the hall of fame Open at New Port in 1998. Later that year, he famously defeated world no 1 Pete Sampras at New Haven.
He won one ATP title - the hall of fame Open at New Port in 1998. Later that year, he famously defeated world no 1 Pete Sampras at New Haven.
Leander is one of the very few people to have a winning record against Pete Sampras as well as @rogerfederer
Leander beat RF in a qualifier tournament way back in 2000.
Leander beat RF in a qualifier tournament way back in 2000.
@Leander turned his sights to doubles with some success with partners such as SĂ©bastien Lareau and Kevin Ullyett. With Mahesh Bhupathi it was a winning combo.
In 1999 they reached finals of all 4 grand slams and won the French Open (one trophy for two people wtf) and Wimbledon.
In 1999 they reached finals of all 4 grand slams and won the French Open (one trophy for two people wtf) and Wimbledon.
@Maheshbhupathi and @Leander went on to win another grandslam at the 2001 French Open. They were also a legendary combo for India during various Davis Cup ties.
They had a lot of fun with the trophies, as you can no doubt tell.
They had a lot of fun with the trophies, as you can no doubt tell.
Leander achieved tremendous success as a mixed doubles player as well winning 10 titles.
He has had the unique distinction of winning titles with Martina Navratilova and with @mhingis (big big crush <3) who as you all know was named after Navratilova.
He has had the unique distinction of winning titles with Martina Navratilova and with @mhingis (big big crush <3) who as you all know was named after Navratilova.
Leander’s true greatness is seen in his performance at the Davis Cup.
The number of times he has defeated opponents with a much higher rank than him is countless (not exactly countless, but we suggest you use this time to sing @Leander a happy birthday)
The number of times he has defeated opponents with a much higher rank than him is countless (not exactly countless, but we suggest you use this time to sing @Leander a happy birthday)
In Davis cup singles, his major wins were:
Arnaud Boetsch and Henri Leconte in 1993
Wayne Ferreira (1994)
Goran Ivanišević (1995) when India defeated Croatia
Jan Siemerink (1995) to defeat Netherlands
Jiřà Novák (1997)
These players were in the top 50 when Leander beat them.
Arnaud Boetsch and Henri Leconte in 1993
Wayne Ferreira (1994)
Goran Ivanišević (1995) when India defeated Croatia
Jan Siemerink (1995) to defeat Netherlands
Jiřà Novák (1997)
These players were in the top 50 when Leander beat them.
Leander holds the record for the most wins by a doubles player at the Davis Cup.
Along with his 45 wins in singles he is also the 4th highest number of wins *ever* by a player in Davis Cup with 93 wins.
Along with his 45 wins in singles he is also the 4th highest number of wins *ever* by a player in Davis Cup with 93 wins.
Earlier this year, Leander announced that 2020 would be his final year as a professional with his last hurrah at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Given the pandemic situation, he is reconsidering it which is a great sign for all his fans.
Given the pandemic situation, he is reconsidering it which is a great sign for all his fans.
Team#9 has major fans of Leander. We showed up to support him as he chased a 27th Challengers Doubles title.
It was not to be, but maybe the Last Roar will happen in 2021 and we all can get to see this champion finish his career on a high.
It was not to be, but maybe the Last Roar will happen in 2021 and we all can get to see this champion finish his career on a high.
We leave you with one last amazing video where @DjokerNole and @Leander banter a little at the 2015 Wimbledon and form a mutual admiration society.
Happy 47th @Leander!
Happy 47th @Leander!
And nobody can weave tweets that give you goosebumps like @joybhattacharj can - check out his tribute to @Leander https://twitter.com/joybhattacharj/status/1273089396447694848
While you're at it, please wish the legendary @paap_singer of Team#9 (who also crafted this lovely thread on @Leander) a wonderful birthday as well!
