Mahesh Bhupathi

Mahesh Bhupathi was one of the best Indian tennis players of all-time and was the first Indian to win a Grand Slam tournament. Bhupathi won the mixed doubles titles at all four Grand Slams, and won the doubles title at all of them apart from the Australian Open. He was ranked number one in the world as a doubles player in April 1999.

Bhupathi became a professional player in 1995. He had limited success as a singles player, only reaching the first round of the US Open in the same year. Bhupathi excelled as a doubles player, however, winning multiple tournaments. He was often partnered with fellow countryman Leander Paes. Bhupathi and Japan’s Rika Hiraki won the mixed doubles tournament at the 1997 French Open. He would go on to win two mixed doubles titles at each of the four Grand Slam tournaments. Bhupathi almost matched the feat at Grand Slams in the doubles, winning three out of four tournaments, excluding the Australian Open, where he was a three-time finalist.

Bhupathi’s success continued across the ATP Tour. Between 1997 and 2013, he won 52 doubles titles, starting with the Chennai Open with Leander Paes, and finishing with victory at the Dubai Tennis Championships with Michaël Llodra of France. Bhupathi won 35 Davis Cup matches from 1995 to 2011, with 27 of those coming in doubles matches.

At international sporting events Bhupathi won two golds, a silver, and three bronze medals at the Asian Games. He also won the bronze medal in the doubles at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, again with Leander Paes. Bhupathi competed at five consecutive Summer Olympics; 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athína, 2008 Beijing, and 2012 London. Again he paired with Paes in all the matches, apart from London where he played with Rohan Bopanna. In 2001 Bhupathi was awarded with the Padma Shri. In 2014 he founded the International Premier Tennis League.