Leander Paes, Vijay Amritraj & Richard Evans inducted into Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame | ATP Tour

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Paes, Amritraj & Evans inducted into Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame

Agassi, Evert, Navratilova amongst legends in attendance

July 21, 2024

Leander Paes, Vijay Amritraj and Richard Evans have been inducted into the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame on Saturday night in Newport, the place household, pals and followers packed into the well-known horseshoe court docket on the venue for a memorable night.

“It’s my biggest honour to be on this stage with not solely these legends of the sport, [but] individuals who have impressed me each single day of my life,” Paes mentioned. “Not as a result of you may have gained Grand Slams, not as a result of you may have formed the world of our sport. However each single one among these folks has formed the world that we dwell in. I want to thanks a lot for giving this Indian boy hope.”

Paes and Amritraj grew to become the primary Indian — and Asian — males to earn induction into the unique group as a participant and contributor, respectively. The pair have been trailblazers for Indian tennis and have been proud to characterize their nation.

“Enjoying for 1.4 billion folks might both be strain, or it might be wind inside your wings,” Paes mentioned. “I’d wish to thank each single one among my countrymen who supported me, who stood by me by way of all of the ups and downs, and we’ve been by way of a number of. However you all have been the inspiration, you all have been the assist. You have been even the energy to information me by way of once I didn’t consider.

“However as my father at all times mentioned to me, ‘In case you consider in your self, you’re employed onerous, you be passionate, not solely to win prize cash and never solely to win trophies, however you do this to encourage the world’.”

Amritraj was a prime participant, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals at 19 and gained 28 tour-level titles between singles and doubles. He was as soon as a boy scuffling with lung issues in India, and now he has cemented his title on the worldwide stage eternally.

“My pricey pals, I’m humbled and honoured to affix this unimaginable and unique group, which has introduced glory to our sport. Our sport has given me all the pieces in life. It has taken me locations I by no means thought I might go,” Amritraj mentioned. “It has allowed me to satisfy folks I by no means thought I might meet and it has given me extra issues than I might have potential imagined. It can at all times be part of our lives and at all times convey households, communities and nations collectively. Greater than anything, I’m pleased to say, India Day is again in New England.”

Andre Agassi and Chris Evert pose for a selfie forward of the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame induction ceremony.”>

Evans has spent greater than 60 years chronicling the journeys of many individuals on the stage in Newport in addition to many extra tennis icons all through the world. Saturday night was his second to face on the other aspect of proceedings.

“It has been a protracted journey. I want I had time to let you know all of the names of all the nice tennis writers I’ve written with in press packing containers all over the world like Rex Bellamy and naturally Bud Collins, who’s of this parish,” Evans mentioned. “Bud was unbelievable and Allison Danzig and Al Laney as writers of a earlier age in America all used their expertise to put in writing about tennis, which is a sport [that] must be promoted at each stage and written about with as a lot expertise and magnificence and enthusiasm and keenness as these of us who love the game might muster, so thanks very a lot for greeting me right here at present and I hope to see you down the street.”

There have been a number of different Corridor of Famers on stage, together with former No. 1 within the PIF ATP Rankings Andre Agassi, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Stan Smith and Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame Honourary President Kim Clijsters.

Navratilova stood on the dais to introduce Paes, with whom he gained two main titles in combined doubles.

“He was an artist on the court docket, a tremendous athlete, a virtuoso,” Navratilova mentioned. “He wielded the tennis racquet like an orchestra conductor wield the baton. Leander, it was really my honour to play towards you. I loved it much more once I performed with you. You have got completed your loved ones proud, you may have completed our sport proud and most of all you may have completed India proud.”

Leander Paes, Richard Evans and Vijay Amritraj on the Worldwide Tennis Corridor of Fame induction ceremony.”>