‘I feel blessed’: Leander Paes

India tennis star Leander Paes at Bandra Kurla Complex yesterday. Pic/Shadab Khan

Atlanta 1996 Olympics bronze medallist and 18-time Grand Slam champion Leander Paes dedicated his entry into the International Tennis Hall of Fame to every Indian who has supported him through his three-decade-long professional career.

Paes, 50, recollected his illustrious Davis Cup days and his experiences of playing the sport across iconic venues. "This accolade of the International Tennis Hall of Fame belongs to every Indian. From being a young Indian boy, playing gully cricket and football barefoot, to being nominated to the hallowed halls of the Hall of Fame, is an amazing journey. I feel very blessed as a son of the soil to make India proud, to bring accolades to the country, to help our flag soar high. But now, my motivation is also to keep pushing the boundaries and produce more talent for India," Paes said in a conversation with mid-day on Tuesday.

Also Read: Leander Paes laments state of Indian Davis Cup, says will take a decade to lift standard

A significant memory that stands out for Paes is playing the sport across different tennis hotbeds in India. The sport might not be overtly popular amongst the masses, but it finds prominence in different cities that have embraced it with open arms since time immemorial.

"My first Davis Cup match ever was on February 2, 1990, at the CLTA in Chandigarh, and it is etched in my memory, because I was 15 back, I was very young. There have been so many great Davis Cup matches whether it's at South Club in Kolkata when we beat the Swiss, in Jaipur, where I have been pretty much undefeated in, whether it's in Chandigarh where we have played many great matches in, or at the CCI [in Mumbai] where we took out the outfield of a cricket field, made a tennis court and beat Pakistan. There are so many places I have played really well in, but the real blessing is being able to create history in 22 countries," Paes remarked.