Vijay Amritraj : The Ambassador of Indian Tennis by Partab Ramchand Jan 28, 2010
Forty years ago as a promising 16-year-old Vijay Amritraj turned pro. It was the early days of Open tennis and it certainly was a bold move. But then he and elder brother Anand were already being hailed as the next best thing to happen to Indian tennis after the age of Ramanathan Krishnan, Jaideep Mukherjea and Premjit Lal. By 1970 Krishnan had virtually retired from international tennis and Lal and Mukherjea were by no means at their best even though the former remained India’s best bet. But it was clear that youngsters had to step in sooner rather than later to replace the ageing trio and the Amritraj brothers were considered the brightest stars on the Indian tennis horizon. Anand certainly had his moments over a long career that lasted till the late eighties but there is no doubting that it was Vijay who upheld the Indian tradition in international tennis over the same period. Early in the 70s he had impressed Bud Collins enough for the tennis guru to hail him as the ABC of tennis (the others being Borg and Connors). Considering the early promise he held out it can be said that Vijay’s overall record if not disappointing fell short of expectations. Still no one can scoff at a record that includes 16 ATP singles titles, a highest ranking of 16th plus quarterfinal appearances at Wimbledon (1973 and 1981) and the US Open (1973 and 1974). One cannot also forget that he spearheaded the Indian challenge when they made it to the Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987. Representing his country always gave him goose bumps as he said and inspired him to repeatedly defeat players ranked higher than him. His court craft which was a judicious blend of power and elegance was eye catching and his performance at Wimbledon in 1981 saw one newspaper hail him as ``Ranji with a racket.’’ In addition he and Anand formed one of the most formidable doubles combinations on the tour and Vijay alone won 13 doubles titles. Winning and losing are part of the game especially over a long career but more than his impressive on court showing it was his sportsmanship that earned Vijay a name as a gentleman player in an era when boorish behaviour had already raised its ugly head. He readily applauded a good shot from the opponent and always invoked the spirit of sport. It was no surprise when Rex Bellamy the highly respected tennis correspondent of The Times wrote in 1990: ``On and off the tennis court Vijay has been charming company for 20 years. His refined, restlessly enquiring mind, imbued by the spirit of laughter, has explored a diversity of interests with a caring zest typical of the man.’’ It is his natural charm and dignity that has kept Vijay in the limelight long after his playing career was over. He has involved himself in so many projects befitting a man of his multi talented skills and interests. He has addressed the United Nations, has appeared in a James Bond movie, has got recognition from the Indian Government and the city of Los Angeles and has served many terms as ATP president. Today’s generation of course is more familiar with Vijay Amritraj the tennis expert on TV. His amiable demeanour coupled with his natural flair for English, in-depth knowledge of the sport and witty and wise comments has made Vijay a natural in the medium. In the new millennium Vijay has served as UN Messenger of Peace. In 2006, after completing this prestigious assignment Vijay founded The Vijay Amritraj Foundation. The foundation's mission is to bring hope, help and healing to the defenseless and innocent victims of disease, tragedy and circumstance in India. Driven by a firm belief that "in giving we receive" the foundation has pledged to make a real difference for those who are most in need of the helping hand of humanity. At 56, Vijay has lost none of his verve. The million dollar smile intact he is a regular at the Chennai Open every year. He played a major role in bringing the ATP tournament to India and even as he spends Christmas vacation and the New Year with his parents Robert and Margaret Amritraj at their spacious home on Sterling Road in central Chennai he makes it a point to come to the stadium every day to watch the action. His PR acumen was seen at its best at a function got up earlier this month by the Rotary Club of Madras T’Nagar to felicitate him with the For the Sake of Honour award for his various charities. A brand ambassador for the Rajan Eye Bank in Chennai Vijay was gracious and as usual the very epitome of charm and wit. Vijay regaled audiences for 20 years on the tennis court. Long may he continue to delight audiences off the court!