While India fondly remembers the contributions of the likes of Leander Paes and the Amritraj brothers, a prominent name often slips the radar. The man who single-handedly spearheaded India’s ingress into dominance on the tennis court was none other than Ramanathan Krishnan.
Despite defeating the likes of Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Neale Fraser, Krishnan is a name forgotten by many!
Here are reasons why he is perhaps the best tennis player produced by the nation:
Krishnan made his professional debut in 1953, winning the boy’s singles title at the Wimbledon, the very next year. He was the first Asian to do so.
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At the peak of his playing career, he was ranked 4th in the world.
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He is a 2-time Wimbledon semi-finalist, in 1960 and 1961.
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He received the Arjuna Award in 1961, the Padma Shri in 1962 and the Padma Bhushan in 1967, for his contribution to the sport.
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He led the Indian team to the Davis Cup final against Australia in 1966.
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He was a regular feature in the India Davis Cup team between 1953 and 1975.
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He went on to win 50 singles matches in the Davis Cup (which to date, is an Indian record), defeating many top players.
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He also held the Indian national tennis title for 8 years at a stretch.
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