Leander Paes

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Other
SexMale
Full nameLeander Adrian•Paes
Used nameLeander•Paes
Original nameलिएंडर•पेस
Born17 June 1973 in Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal (IND)
Measurements178 cm / 77 kg
NOC India
Medals OG
Gold 0
Silver 0
Bronze 1
Total 1

Biography

India’s Leander Paes was regarded as one of the best doubles tennis players of his era . Paes won all four Grand Slam titles in doubles and mixed doubles, was ranked the #1 doubles player in the world, competed at seven consecutive Olympic Games, and won more than $8.5 million in prize money during his career. He had a longstanding partnership with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi, with them having an unprecedented record in the Davis Cup.

Paes turned professional in 1991 and won his first ATP Challenger doubles title the following year with American Todd Nelson in New Haven. From there he won a total of 26 doubles titles as well as 11 singles titles on the ATP Challenger circuit. On the ATP World Tour he won 55 doubles titles with the first one coming at the 1997 Chennai Open with Mahesh Bhupathi. As well as partnering Bhupathi he also won multiple titles with Jan Siemerink, David Rikl, Nenad Zimonjić, and Martin Damm.

Paes won the doubles title at all four Grand Slams with one win at Wimbledon (1999) and the Australian Open (2012), and three wins at the French Open (1999, 2001, 2009) and the US Open (2006, 2009, 2013). He also repeated the feat in the mixed doubles with one win at the French Open (2016), two at the US Open (2008, 2015), three at the Australian Open (2003, 2010, 2015), and four wins at Wimbledon (1999, 2003, 2010, 2015). When he won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 2015 he became only the second man after Rod Laver to win titles at Wimbledon in three decades.

Between 1992 and 2016 Paes competed at seven consecutive Olympic Games. Despite being known as a doubles player, Paes had his best Olympic result in the singles, when he won the bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics with victory against Fino Meligeni. His best doubles performance came at the 2004 Athína Olympics when he and Mahesh Bhupathi finished in fourth place. Paes was also the flagbearer for India at the Opening Ceremony at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Paes was part of India’s Davis Cup team from 1990 to 2021, often partnered with Mahesh Bhupathi. The pair were affectionately known as the “Indian Express” and set a record of the most consecutive wins at the Davis Cup with 24 victories from 1997 to 2010. Paes was also a former team captain and holds the record for the most doubles wins at the Davis Cup with 43 (through 2022).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1992 Summer Olympics Tennis IND Leander Paes
Singles, Men (Olympic) =33
Doubles, Men (Olympic) Ramesh Krishnan =5
1996 Summer Olympics Tennis IND Leander Paes
Singles, Men (Olympic) 3 Bronze
Doubles, Men (Olympic) Mahesh Bhupathi =9
2000 Summer Olympics Tennis IND Leander Paes
Singles, Men (Olympic) =33
Doubles, Men (Olympic) Mahesh Bhupathi =9
2004 Summer Olympics Tennis IND Leander Paes
Doubles, Men (Olympic) Mahesh Bhupathi 4
2008 Summer Olympics Tennis IND Leander Paes
Doubles, Men (Olympic) Mahesh Bhupathi =5
2012 Summer Olympics Tennis IND Leander Paes
Doubles, Mixed (Olympic) Sania Mirza =5
Doubles, Men (Olympic) Jagadeesan Vishnuvardhan =9
2016 Summer Olympics Tennis IND Leander Paes
Doubles, Men (Olympic) Rohan Bopanna =17

Other participations

Games Role NOC As
2000 Summer Olympics Flagbearer at the Opening Ceremony IND Leander Paes

Olympic family relations

Special Notes