Oct 27, 2025 02:42 PM
44 Views
(Updated Oct 27, 2025 02:42 PM)
India’s story in tennis is not defined by one moment- it’s shaped by a succession of players who brought ambition, flair and something uniquely Indian to the global game. From grass-court pioneers to doubles trailblazers, here are seven athletes whose careers tell us as much about character as they do about numbers.
Legends of Indian Tennis:
Ramanathan Krishnan
Born in 1937 in Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu, Ramanathan Krishnan was one of the earliest Indian stars in tennis. He turned pro(as an amateur) in the 1950s and reached a career-high global ranking of World No. 3. He is most remembered for reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals in both 1960 and 1961.
Vijay Amritraj
Fast forward a couple of decades, and in the 1970s and 80s, Vijay Amritraj emerged as a charismatic figure on and off court. He achieved a career high singles ranking of No. 16 in July 1980. Among his high-profile wins was a victory over Bjorn Borg at the US Open in 1974 and a run to the Wimbledon quarter-finals in 1981. Beyond the statistics, Amritraj became a global face of Indian tennis. He broke stereotypes: fluent in media, comfortable in Hollywood(he appeared in Star Trek IV), and built a foundation for tennis development back home.
Ramesh Krishnan
The son of Ramanathan, Ramesh Krishnan carried his father’s grace into the next generation. Turning pro in 1978, he achieved a career-high singles ranking of No. 23 in 1985. He made quarter-final appearances at Wimbledon(1986) and the US Open(1981, 1987), thereby showing that the Krishnan legacy was continuing.
Leander Paes
If Indian tennis had a poster-boy for doubles, this is it: Leander Paes. Born in 1973, he won a total of 55 men’s doubles titles and 10 mixed doubles titles, at his peak achieving the World No. 1 ranking(June 1999). In 1996, he won India’s first Olympic tennis medal: a bronze in Atlanta. Paes’s legacy goes beyond wins. He appeared at seven straight Olympic Games from 1992 through 2016, the most by any tennis player.
Mahesh Bhupathi
Mahesh Bhupathi turned pro in 1995 and, like Paes, went on to become World No. 1 in doubles(April 1999). He collected 52 doubles titles and eight mixed doubles titles in his career. His claim to fame: India’s first Grand Slam winner(in men’s/women’s/mixed doubles) and founding advocate for Indian tennis infrastructure and player welfare.
Rohan Bopanna
Rohan Bopanna is the embodiment of longevity meeting achievement. Born in 1980, he continued to compete and excel - well into his 40s. In 2024 he won his first men’s doubles Grand Slam(Australian Open) and became the oldest man ever to reach ATP World No. 1 in men’s doubles. His journey is inspiring: from rural beginnings(coffee estates) to global finals, battling knee injuries and adapting his game yet proving age is just a number.
Sania Mirza
The trailblazer for Indian women’s tennis. Sania Mirza turned pro in 2003 and became the first Indian woman to be ranked World No. 1 in doubles(April 2015) with partner Martina Hingis. She won six Grand Slam titles(three women’s doubles, three mixed doubles) and accumulated 43 WTA doubles titles.
Summary
When we look at these seven, the numbers are impressive: Grand Slams, World No. 1s, Olympic medals. But what’s equally compelling are the stories behind the numbers: Ramanathan’s rise in the 1950s when Indian tennis was barely known; Amritraj’s global persona when Indian sport was still domestic; Paes and Bhupathi owning the doubles court globally; Mirza breaking gender and cultural ceilings; Bopanna proving age is not a barrier.
They didn’t just win, they changed the narrative of Indian tennis. They made India believe it could produce world-class players.
