‘I Would Be Unfulfilled’: Leander Paes Embraces A Nation-First Value While Expressing The Significance Of His Bronze Win

Former Indian tennis player Leander Paes recently opened up on the significance of the Bronze medal he clinched at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta and why the moment was more prestigious than all of his Grand Slam wins. The former Indian tennis player added that bearing the Indian national flag on his heart and representing the 1.4 billion people of the country.

Leander Paes Considers The Bronze medal As His Biggest Honour

Leander Paes had won India's first Olympic medal in Tennis, where he secured a bronze at the Atlanta Games in 1996. The Indian Tennis Titan faced off against Fernando Meligeni. He battled through after being one set down and displayed a supreme showcase. Leander had also suffered a wrist injury, but he powered through to secure a win in the competition.

Paes winning the bronze medal was nothing less than historic, as it was India's first individual Olympic medal in 44 years. During his recent appearance on Republic TV with editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, Leander Paes shared that winning an Olympic medal was essential for his fulfilment as an athlete.

"I've been very blessed Arnab that through a 39-year career, Yes, I've won 18 senior Grand Slams, two junior singles Grand Slams. I've got the world record back to India for the Davis Cup.

"I've got the world record of participation in the Olympics, seven Olympics in a row, which is 28 years of playing the Olympics. No one's talking about the 15 years of preparing for it. But my greatest honor is to wear that Tiranga in my heart and play for 1.4 billion people. So yes, if I had not won that Olympic medal, I would be unfulfilled as an athlete," Leander Paes exclusively said on Legends.

Also Read: Leander Paes Chose Racquet Over Goalposts: Bronze Medalist Olympian Reveals Why He Chose Tennis And Followed His Intuition

Leander Had Huge Ambitions From A Young Age

From a young age, Leander Paes harboured larger-than-life ambitions as he aspired to showcase India's excellence on the global stage. The Indian tennis icon wanted to prove that people from the country can also be world-class athletes.

"My only dream as a young boy growing up was to emulate my father, to prove to Indians that we can be Olympic champions. My biggest passion in the world is to put the theory on the global map, that we can be world-class at anything we do today. Many people have proven it.

"But in the late 70s, early 80s, there were no real models who had won on the global stage. No one had won Wimbledon till then, No one had won an Olympic medal till then individuals, No one had gone and won a World Championship," Leander added.

Leander Paes elevated Indian tennis on a global scale, and the bronze medal win at the Atlanta Games brought a newfound energy among aspiring athletes to stand and deliver on the big stage.

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