On Saturday, Vijay Amritraj and Leander Paes made history by becoming the first Asian men to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Amritraj was honored as a contributor, while Paes entered as a player. Their entry into tennis's most elite group holds profound significance for India, a country where, prior to Amritraj and Paes, success in tennis seemed unattainable. These trailblazers paved the way for future generations in a nation with little tennis background. Reflecting on this big achievement, Paes told ATPTour.com, "It's pretty cool to see two Indians get into the Hall of Fame."

(Source: Google Images) 

Amritraj and Paes share a unique connection, as Paes attended a tennis school named after Amritraj during his youth.

Amritraj nearly missed out on a sports career due to severe childhood lung problems that left him frequently bedridden, making his dreams of international representation seem impossible. However, his mother's unshakable strength and belief in him fueled his determination. Reflecting on his induction, he mentioned how such an honor makes his entire journey, from age seven to 70, flash before his eyes, along with all his accomplishments.

Even without his health issues, Amritraj's prospects were dim growing up in the India of the '50s and '60s, a stark contrast to today's India. Amritraj recalls that they couldn't foresee where they might end up, despite his poor health and hospital stays, with his mother always taking great care of him.

Amritraj made his mark in his career. He reached the 1973 Wimbledon quarter-finals at age 19. Carlos Alcaraz, who won the tournament twice, didn't make it to the last eight at The Championships until he was 20 when he won the trophy at SW19. Amritraj climbed to No. 23 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings and won 13 doubles titles. He reached the singles quarter-finals four times at Grand Slam tournaments and led India to two Davis Cup finals. His achievements had an impact on millions of kids across the country showing them they could succeed in tennis too.

Amritraj gives credit to his parents Bob and Maggie, for pushing him to dream big instead of settling for easy goals. They took on a challenge to say that he will become much more than that where people from all over will come to watch him. They were two regular folks ( his parents) who ended up having an extraordinary impact on my life. I played a small part in it. I just happened to be their kid, the best parents I've ever known. This comes after [my mom] had two terrible accidents in her 30s. So they showed me parenting like I've never seen before in my life.”

(Source: Google Images) 

Now these two men have made history for their nation leaving an enduring impression in the record books. Two Indian men now have a place in the International Tennis Hall of Fame. "This amazing legacy of people viewing this place as a museum long after I'm gone is beyond my imagination. I can't put it into words, because it means more than just saying nothing is impossible. It's way more than that," Amritraj said. "For me, it's more about India having a spot in the Hall of Fame, the tricolor, and the anthem. To me, that's the key part because I did it as an Indian when it wasn't expected."