Throughout the years, India has produced some of the most influential sportsmen and sportswomen the world has ever seen. With a population of more than a billion citizens it’s somewhat impossible not to have a globally recognized athlete. Ranker predominantly highlights cricketers, namely Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, as well as Rahul Dravid and Virat Kohli as some of the most iconic.
Cricket’s popularity in the country is second to none. These aforementioned names have become somewhat legends not just in this particular sport, but also in the whole nation. However, there’s another sport and a distinct batch of athletes that should stamp their names on the list.
Unlike in the United States where anywhere from Las Vegas, to Albuquerque, to Houston are the best cities to enjoy tennis, according to Ren Gates’ blog post on Play Your Court, India’s resources are limited to urban areas. Still, the racket sport has a substantial following in the South Asian country.
The open era saw a handful of Indian tennis players who have consistently performed at the highest level. It’s safe to say they’ve made and left their respective marks on the sport. So with that in mind, here are four of the most iconic Indian tennis players ever.
Sania Mirza
Sania Mirza
An Indian tennis list wouldn’t be complete without Sania Mirza. More than her goddess-like features and undeniable feistiness, she’s an extremely talented player. Mirza dominated India’s singles tennis circuit for a good decade, before retiring and moving on to play doubles. The Sports Mirror even has an article that talks about her possible Bollywood debut.
Leander Paes
Leander Paes
Leander Paes has been a steady fixture on the pro tour, having played in the past two and a half decades. The 43-year-old has won 18 Grand Slam titles, eight of which came from men’s doubles and ten from mixed doubles. With these unprecedented accomplishments, Sportskeeda considers him as the greatest tennis player in India. Paes also serves as the sports ambassador of the Indian state of Haryana.
Vijay Amritraj
Vijay Amritraj
Known before as one-third of the famous Amritraj trio, Vijay slowly climbed the world tennis rankings and established himself as a household name in India. Even though he failed to win a Grand Slam championship, he’s one of the most recognisable personalities in Asian broadcasting, covering events on cable. Amritraj even had short acting stints in movies like James Bond: Octopussy and Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.
Ramanathan Krishnan
Ramanathan Krishnan
Before the Sania Mirza, the Leander Paes, and even the Vijay Amritraj, there was Ramanathan Krishnan. He’s not only one of the most successful international tennis players of the ‘50s and ‘60s, Krishnan also holds the record as the only Indian to have reached a Grand Slam singles semi-final. The now 80-year-old legend is also the only Indian pro to have climbed the top ten in singles world ranking. For his exemplary service, various governing bodies in India bestowed Ramanathan Krishnan the Arjuna award, the Padma Shree, and the Padma Bushnan.
Tags: Iconic, Leander Paes, Players, Ramanathan Krishnan, Sania Mirza, Tennis, Vijay Amritraj
