Until 1999, Indian tennis had never truly touched the pinnacle of global success. While there had been moments of promise: 3 Davis Cup runner-up finishes in 1966, 1974, and 1987; Leander Paes’ bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; and Mahesh Bhupathi’s mixed doubles triumph at the French Open, the idea of India as a dominant force in world tennis seemed far-fetched.
That perception changed dramatically when Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, dubbed the “Indian Express”, rewrote history. In 1999, they became the first-ever doubles pair to reach the finals of all four Grand Slams in a single year. While they fell short at the Australian Open, their landmark victory at the French Open, defeating Goran Ivanisevic and Jeff Tarango 6-2, 7-5, made them the first all-Indian pair to win a Grand Slam. The win also propelled them to World No. 1 in men’s doubles rankings.
Barely a month later, the duo conquered Wimbledon, coming from a set down to beat Paul Haarhuis and Jared Palmer for their second Grand Slam title. By the time they reached the US Open final that same year, losing in straight sets, they had already made the world sit up and take notice of India’s growing presence in tennis.
Their dominance didn’t end there. In 2001, they lifted the French Open trophy again, followed by Asian Games gold in 2002. But cracks had already begun to appear in their partnership. By the end of 2002, personal and professional differences led to a split, much to the disappointment of fans who believed they could have achieved even greater heights together.
Both Paes and Bhupathi went on to win more Grand Slams with other partners, but occasionally reunited for India in team events. At the 2004 Athens Olympics, they narrowly missed a medal, finishing fourth. In the 2006 Asian Games, they rekindled their magic to win gold again. Their brief reunion in 2011 saw them win the Chennai Open, reach the Australian Open final, and claim Masters titles in Miami and Cincinnati before parting ways once more.
One record that still stands as a testament to their chemistry is their 24 consecutive Davis Cup doubles victories from 1997 to 2010, unmatched in the tournament’s history.
The Paes-Bhupathi partnership was more than just a winning team; it was a movement that made a nation believe it could rule the tennis world. And even though the “Indian Express” didn’t run forever, its legacy continues to inspire Indian tennis.
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