Leander Paes: The most successful tennis player of India

Leander Paes, one of the most successful Indian tennis players of India, was born on June 17, 1973. He is one of the greatest doubles and mixed-doubles players in the world and is the only Indian tennis player who has won a medal in the Olympics.

Let's take a look at 10 Interesting and unknown facts about Leander Paes: The most successful tennis player of India

1. Leander Paes was born to Jennifer Paes and Vace Paes. His father Vace Paes was a professional hockey player and was part of 1972 Olympics Indian Hockey team and his mother Jennifer Paes was a part of the Indian Basketball team.

2. He attended the La Martiniere Calcutta as well as the University of Calcutta when he went on to attend the St. Xavier’s College. Leander received his professional training from Britannia Amritraj Tennis Academy in Chennai (then Madras) in 1985 under the coaching of Dave O’Meara.

3. He was only 17 when he won the Wimbledon junior title in 1990 and in the same year went on to become the top-ranked junior of the world.

4. In 2010, he became the first male tennis player since Rod Laver to win Wimbledon championships in three different decades.

5. In the year 1999, Leander Paes was ranked the number one doubles players in the world.

6. His Olympic appearances from 1992 to 2012 made him the first Indian and only tennis player to compete in six consecutive Olympic games.

7. He the oldest man to win a Grand Slam title at the age of 41.

8. He was made sports Ambassador for Haryana state in 2012.

9. Leander Paes was honoured with Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award in 1996-97, Arjuna award in 1990 and the Padma Shri in 2001 for his contribution to the game of tennis.

10. Paes made his Bollywood debut in Ashok Kohli’s “Rajdhani Express”.

12 unknown facts about Mithali Raj the most successful captain of Indian Women’s Cricket Team

Mithali Raj is the captain of the Indian Women's cricket team in Test's and ODI. She is the second highest run scorer in women's international cricket and only second woman cricketer to surpass 5,500 run mark. She started to play the game at the age of 10 and at the age of 17, she was picked for the Indian team. Her ODI debut was against Ireland at Milton Keynes in the year 1999.

Let's take a look at 12 unknown facts about Mithali Raj the most successful captain of Indian Women’s Cricket Team:

1. Mithali Raj was born in Jodhpur on December 3, 1982 and is the daughter of an Air Force officer. She started playing the game at the age of 10.

2. In 2015, she was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, which she felt would help the cause of women’s cricket in India.

3. At 17, she made it to the Indian team and, in 1999, she played her first ODI against Ireland at Milton Keynes, scoring 114 runs.

4. In the domestic cricket scene, Mithali plays for the Railways.

5. On August 14, 2002, when she was 19 years old, she broke Karen Rolton’s record of highest individual test score.

6. In 2002, during the Women’s World Cup, Mithali came down with typhoid, which squashed India’s chances of winning.

7. In 2006, under her captaincy, the Indian women’s cricket team got their first Test and Series win in England.

8. In 2006, the Indian team again won the Asian Cup, for the second time in twelve months.

9. In 2003, she became the recipient of the Arjuna Award.

10. She has been described as a “dangerous cricketer” due to her composure at the crease and brisk scoring ability.

11. As a bowler, she can roll her arm over bowling leg-spinners, adding variety to her attack.

12. In 2013, Raj was the No. 1 cricketer in the ODI chart in the women’s division.

10 Interesting things about "Hockey Wizard of India" Dhyan Chand

One of the best hockey players that our nation has ever had, Dhyan Chand. Not only did he make our country's name shine in International sports events, but the way he played hockey was so iconic, that the defenders would look as if they have no idea what's going on between the ball and his hockey stick. Chand played a pivotal role in India winning three consecutive Olympic gold medals in 1928, 1932 and 1936. His birth anniversary, 29th August, is celebrated as the National Sports Day in India and the President gives away awards such as Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna and Dronacharya awards on this day.

Let's take a look at 10 Interesting things about "Hockey Wizard of India" Dhyan Chand:

1. Dhyan Chand joined the Indian Army at the age of 16 and took up hockey while he was still enrolled. Since Dhyan Chand used to practice a lot during the night, he was given the nickname "Chand" by his fellow players; his practice sessions at night invariably coincided with the coming out of the moon. ‘Chand’ means moon in Hindi.

2. Dhyan Chand was the leading goal-scorer at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics with 14 goals. A news report about India’s victory said “This is not a game of hockey, but magic. Dhyan Chand is, in fact, the magician of hockey.”

3. Even though Dhyan Chand was involved in many memorable matches, he considers a particular hockey match to be his best. “If anybody asked me which was the best match that I played in, I will unhesitatingly say that it was the 1933 Beighton Cup final between Calcutta Customs and Jhansi Heroes.”

4. In the 1932 Summer Olympics, India beat USA 24-1 and Japan 11-1. Dhyan Chand scored 12 goals while his brother Roop Singh netted 13 out of the 35 goals India scored. This led to them being dubbed the 'hockey twins'.

5. Once, when Dhyan Chand was unable to score in a match, he argued with the match referee about the measurement of the goal post. To everybody’s amazement, he was right; the goal post was found to be in contravention of the official minimum width prescribed under international rules.

6. After India’s first match at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, people watching other sporting events thronged to the hockey stadium. A German newspaper carried a banner headline: 'The Olympic complex now has a magic show too.' The whole city of Berlin had posters: “Visit the hockey stadium to watch the Indian magician Dhyan Chand in action.”

7. According to widespread reports, German dictator Adolf Hitler offered Dhyan Chand German citizenship and a position in the German Military, after an impressive showing at the Berlin Olympics. The offer was declined by the Indian magician.

8. Australian great Don Bradman met Dhyan Chand at Adelaide in 1935. After watching him play, Bradman remarked, "He scores goals like runs in cricket".

9. Hockey authorities in the Netherlands once broke his hockey stick to check if there was a magnet inside.

10. Dhyan Chand has scored over 400 goals in his career spanning 22 years (1926-48).

Leander Paes: The most successful tennis player of India

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