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Leander Paes is one of the greatest doubles players in tennis history, winning eight men’s and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. His singles bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics was India’s first individual Olympic medal in 44 years.
Biography
Early career
The son of Olympic hockey bronze medallist Vece Paes and basketball player Jennifer Paes, Leander trained at the Britannia Amritraj Tennis Academy in Madras. He won the junior Wimbledon and US Open titles in 1990 and turned professional the following year.
Olympian and doubles great
At the 1996 Atlanta Olympics he won the bronze medal in men’s singles. With Mahesh Bhupathi he formed the ‘Indian Express’, reaching all four Grand Slam men’s doubles finals in 1999 and becoming world No. 1. Over his career he won a career Grand Slam in both men’s and mixed doubles, competed at a record seven Olympic Games, and set the record for most doubles wins in Davis Cup history.
Davis Cup
Paes was the heart of India’s Davis Cup team for three decades, famous for raising his game in front of home crowds. He holds the record for the most doubles wins in Davis Cup history, and memorable singles victories included beating Goran Ivanišević in 1995.
Longevity
Paes won Grand Slam titles across four decades, from Wimbledon mixed doubles in 1999 to the French Open mixed in 2016, partnering champions such as Martina Navratilova and Martina Hingis. With his 2016 French Open title he completed the career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. He played his final season in 2020.
Honours
He received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1997, the Padma Shri in 2001 and the Padma Bhushan in 2014, and was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2024.
Personal life
Paes has a daughter, Aiyana, with model Rhea Pillai. He has acted in the Hindi film Rajdhani Express (2013) and was a contestant on reality television. He entered politics in 2021 by joining the All India Trinamool Congress.
Timeline
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1973
Born in Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal
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1990
Wins junior Wimbledon and US Open
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1992
First Olympics
Barcelona.
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1996
Olympic bronze in Atlanta
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1999
World No. 1 in doubles with Bhupathi
Win French Open and Wimbledon.
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1999
Wins Wimbledon men’s and mixed doubles
The rare double.
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2003
Wins Wimbledon mixed doubles with Martina Navratilova
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2014
Padma Bhushan
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2016
French Open mixed doubles
Completes the career mixed Grand Slam.
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2020
Final season on tour
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2024
International Tennis Hall of Fame
Awards and honours
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Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna
1997
-
Padma Shri
2001
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Padma Bhushan
2014
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International Tennis Hall of Fame
2024
Did you know?
-
1
His father won an Olympic hockey bronze in 1972.
-
2
He won both the men’s and mixed doubles at Wimbledon in 1999.
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3
He competed at seven Olympic Games.
Gallery
Connections
Related people
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Mahesh Bhupathi
Sports · Former doubles world No. 1; first Indian to win a Grand Slam title
Doubles partner
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Sania Mirza
Sports · Former doubles world No. 1 and six-time Grand Slam champion
Davis Cup and Olympic team-mate
-
Vijay Amritraj
Film & TV · Tennis player, commentator and actor; Hall of Fame inductee
Fellow Hall of Fame inductee (2024)
Frequently asked
Who is Leander Paes?
Leander Paes is one of the greatest doubles players in tennis history, winning eight men’s and ten mixed doubles Grand Slam titles. His singles bronze at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics was India’s first individual Olympic medal in 44 years.
How old is Leander Paes?
Leander Paes is 53 years old, born on 17 June 1973 in Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal.
Where is Leander Paes from?
Leander Paes was born in Calcutta (Kolkata), West Bengal.
What is Leander Paes known for?
Leander Paes is best known for Bronze at the 1996 Olympics; 18 Grand Slam doubles titles; most doubles wins in Davis Cup history.
What awards has Leander Paes received?
Notable honours include Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (1997), Padma Shri (2001), Padma Bhushan (2014), International Tennis Hall of Fame (2024).
References
- Leander Paes — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Leander Paes — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Leander Paes — IMDb. IMDb. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Leander Paes — Olympics.com athlete profile. Olympics.com. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Leander Paes — ATP Tour profile. ATP Tour. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Leander Paes — Hindi Wikipedia. Wikipedia (Hindi). Retrieved 26 October 2026.
- Leander Paes (Q296282) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 26 October 2026.
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editors; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal
- First published 26 October 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Leander Paes.” TrackFame, last updated 26 October 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/leander-paes
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