Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati raising their winning cup; Source: The Hindu

small_08SCPAGE12LEANDERANDBHUPATHY.jpeg

thumbnail_08SCPAGE12LEANDERANDBHUPATHY.jpeg

08SCPAGE12LEANDERANDBHUPATHY.jpeg

6-2; one down, three to go. 7-5; halfway there. 6-2; history is made. 5-5; the world gets its new champions.

These were the scores of the finals of the French Open doubles championship in 1999. On one side were Goran Ivanisevic and Jeff Tarango. On the other side were Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes. Winning a Grand Slam title is a historic feat in itself but this particular win was special for both these players and Indians in many ways.

> While the country had done well at tennis from Wimbledon to French Open in the junior category- winning multiple titles- our performance in the senior category was not at par.

Certain players had managed to reach the quarterfinals of these tournaments but the crown of the best of the best remained out of their reach.

India got a share of this victory in 1997 when Bhupati bagged the mixed doubles title at Roland Garros with Japanese player Rika Hiraki. While this successful partnership gave both the nations a reason to celebrate, the dream of a fully Indian team achieving this always remained.

> This dream almost turned into reality when this dynamic duo of Bhupati and Paes reached the finals at the Australian Open in 1999. It was as if success brushed through them. A top finish at the podium remained far as they lost the decisive match.

The French Open was their moment of redemption. A billion hearts prayed for them. With hopes and stakes stacked, the power pair walked into the battleground against the American team.

> In clear sets, they established their supremacy, declaring to all that new champions have come into the game. This was India’s first Grand Slam title won by an all-Indian team.

More firsts soon followed as Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati continued winning various titles in various formats. Sometimes together, sometimes separate, these two players got home multiple accolades.

Today, tennis as a sport is on the rising in India. This recognition, attention and admiration have only been possible due to an entire generation of players who swayed their racket, each time, with the intent to create history. Amongst, them Bhupati and Paes are the ones who have taken the lead.

The fight from being quarterfinalists to the champions has been a long one and we still have far longer to go. Within the shots and the serves, the entire nation along with Paes and Bhupati became the ace of the game.

With double the brilliance and double the ambition, Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupati began their run in the French Open Doubles of 1999. After defeating top players in the game, they managed to become the first Indian team to win a Grand Slam