Is Leander Paes one of the best Indian Players ever ?

Who is the oldest men to win a Grand Slam title? Its none other than our own Leander Paes. He turned professional in 1991 when Sachin Tendulkar was still 3 years away from scoring his 1^st ODI century and Soviet Union was still a country. I first heard about him in 1992 Olympics when he lost in quarters.

Once BBC sports correspondent Rehan Fazal told that this guy play a different game when he plays for India. But at that time he was still to win Grand Slam. His Davis Cup record is astonishing (89 wins & 32 losses overall including 48 wins & 22 losses in singles. Other Indian greats like Ramnathan Krishnan win-loss record is 69-28 & Jaidip Mukerjea win loss record is 62-35. Even though Paes failed to enter Davis Cup Final but he carried Indian team more than perhaps Sachin carried Indian cricket team. I still remember his around 5 hrs marathon win over Croatian Goran Ivanisevic in 1995 (Delhi). Who can forget his epic battle in 96 Atlanta Olympic when he became only 2^nd Indian to win an individual Olympic medal? He narrowly missed another Olympic medal in Athens in 2001 when he lost 3^rd place match with Bhupati. He has won 5 gold medals in Asian Games also. He is only Indian & only tennis player to compete in 6 Olympics. Even his father won Olympic bronze in 72 Munich Olympics in field hockey.

He has won 17 doubles Grand Slam title including 3 mixed doubles in 2015 when he is 42 years old. He had a won historic double in Wimbledon 1999. He is a fighter and I still remember his game in 1999 Wimbledon men’s double when he along with Bhupati save match point (they hadn’t won a set till that time) & then went on to win the match. 

Yes, he had some issues with another Indian great Mahesh Bhupati & his personal life is not so ideal but he is still once in a generation player. He won junior Wimbledon singles in 1990 & was ranked no 1 player. He failed to do justice with his singles potential but he still has a memorable win over Pete Sampras and an ATP title. But his exploits will certainly inspire young geretaion & one day an Indian will win singles Grand Slam title. He has not been given due by Indian media and public where even a Rohit Sharma or Shikhar Dhawan becomes an overnight star. He has been awarded Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna before Tendulkar in 1996-97. If he is not better than Sachin or Anand then he is not far behind them. In terms of overall contribution to game is considered, he will certainly feature in top 10 sports person ever produced by India. Paes didn’t put the world tennis on fire but he gave Indians a reason for smile for their own country men in the field of Lawn Tennis.