Indian tennis legend Leander Paes has expressed concern over the current state of the sport in the country, calling for a collective effort to improve the depth and competitiveness of Indian players.
Paes, who holds the record for most Davis Cup appearances and match wins, believes that India needs to develop a more structured base for tennis development, starting from the grassroots level. He emphasized the importance of recognizing and nurturing talent, providing access to academies, and hosting more tournaments within India.
“We need to build a large base of youngsters and get back to having many tournaments in India so that they can get that experience,” Paes said. “I have so much respect for these athletes who have persevered day in and day out, spending their hard-earned money just to be able to travel and play tournaments.”
Paes also stressed the need for collaboration among all stakeholders, including players, administrators, corporates, and the tennis fraternity. He believes that a cumulative effort is necessary to drive growth and improvement in Indian tennis.
“It’s going to take a cumulative effort of the players, the administration, the corporates, and the entire tennis fraternity in India to come together and push for that growth,” he said.
Paes praised the recent performance of Rohan Bopanna, who won the 2024 Australian Open doubles title with Matt Ebden. He expressed optimism that Bopanna’s success could inspire a new generation of Indian tennis players.
“Rohan’s performance has been wonderful, to see another (Grand Slam) champion come through,” Paes said.
