Wimbledo 2026 is set to start on Monday (Jun 29) with two stories headlining all - Serena Williams' comeback at 44 and Novak Djokovic's quest for record 25th title. These two players are the very best to have played the game of tennis across generations and gender. Together, they have 47 grand slam titles to their name, for context, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have 42 titles in total.WION spoke to former India player and JioStar expert Vijay Amritraj on JioStar Media Day ahead of Wimbledon 2026 about what separates consistent winners from consistent challengers and here's what he said:Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-2026-ex-india-player-vijay-amritraj-picks-sabalenka-to-win-womens-singles-1782557807902">Wimbledon 2026 | Ex-India player Amritraj picks Sabalenka to win women's singles</a>"All the 128 players playing in the tournament and 128 players in qualifying are unbelieveable players. They are the best in the business. Then you have guys who actually win tournaments and eventually, potentially winning a major (grand slam) and these guys are champions. And then, there are very few, a handful, who are true geniuses and they themselevs don't know what they are geniuses."Beause when you are pushed into a corner and have three options to play a shot the good ones play three options, the geniuses have option 4,5 and 6. And they use it, because they play with instinct."The difference between winning and losing these great big matches, especially in the major, is a question of what it is between your ears, in your head, and how you are able to play the big points at 4-5 30-40. That thought of losing doesn't even come to the mind. You go for broke at 30-40 and it is not a question of just keeping the ball in the play. It, however, depends on the player on the opponent as welll."<h2>Where to watch and stream Wimbledon 2026 live in India?</h2>Wimbledon 2026 can be watched from June 29 - July 12, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network. &nbsp;

'When you are pushed into a corner and have three options to play a shot the good ones play three options, the geniuses have option 4,5 and 6," said ex-India tennis player Vijay Amritraj.

Wimbledo 2026 is set to start on Monday (Jun 29) with two stories headlining all - Serena Williams' comeback at 44 and Novak Djokovic's quest for record 25th title. These two players are the very best to have played the game of tennis across generations and gender. Together, they have 47 grand slam titles to their name, for context, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer have 42 titles in total. WION spoke to former India player and JioStar expert Vijay Amritraj on JioStar Media Day ahead of Wimbledon 2026 about what separates consistent winners from consistent challengers and here's what he said: Also Read - Wimbledon 2026 | Ex-India player Amritraj picks Sabalenka to win women's singles "All the 128 players playing in the tournament and 128 players in qualifying are unbelieveable players. They are the best in the business. Then you have guys who actually win tournaments and eventually, potentially winning a major (grand slam) and these guys are champions. And then, there are very few, a handful, who are true geniuses and they themselevs don't know what they are geniuses. "Beause when you are pushed into a corner and have three options to play a shot the good ones play three options, the geniuses have option 4,5 and 6. And they use it, because they play with instinct. "The difference between winning and losing these great big matches, especially in the major, is a question of what it is between your ears, in your head, and how you are able to play the big points at 4-5 30-40. That thought of losing doesn't even come to the mind. You go for broke at 30-40 and it is not a question of just keeping the ball in the play. It, however, depends on the player on the opponent as welll." Where to watch and stream Wimbledon 2026 live in India? Wimbledon 2026 can be watched from June 29 - July 12, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.

'When you are pushed into a corner and have three options to play a shot the good ones play three options, the geniuses have option 4,5 and 6," said ex-India tennis player Vijay Amritraj.

Wimbledon | 'Geniuses themselves don't know why they are geniuses', says ex-India player Vijay Amritraj on multiple grand slam winners

The Wimbledon 2026, year's third grand slam, is about to start on June 29 in England and a lot of stories waiting to play out with 23-gran slam winner Serena Williams' comeback being the highlight. It was also Serena who had last won the Championship back-to-back in women's singles - 2015 and 2016. It has been nearly a decade since then but not other female player has been able to achieve the same feat. In fact, women's singles have seen a different champion every year since 2017 with 2020 being cancelled due to Covid-19. At this year's championship, Iga Swiatek comes in as the reigning champion but would she be able to defend the crown remains to be seen.WION spoke to former Indian tennis player and JioStar expert Vijay Amritraj during the &nbsp;JioStar Media Day ahead of Wimbledon 2026 about why it is hard to repeat the success at Wimbledon for female players and he said that the "players have been of same level ever since the Williams sisters (Venus and Serena) left."Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/wimbledon-2026-draw-djokovic-sinner-on-collision-course-raducanu-battles-fitness-concerns-serena-faces-joint-on-return-1782488255610">Wimbledon 2026 draw: Can Djokovic stop Sinner and win record 25th Grand Slam?</a>"Swiatek had a bit of great run as she was unbeatable for a while but at the end, I think the girls are much better in terms of standard, performance, and temperament than the way Alcaraz and SInner have moved a little bit beyond than the rest of the bunch."<h2>Who could win Wimbledon 2026 women's singles?</h2>Picking out the winners, Amritraj noted, "among the female athletes today, it was very hard to pick up a winner," but picked out Aryna Sabalenka as the favorite to win. Sabalenka, a four-time grand slam winner, has reached the Wimbledon semis thrice in 2021, 2023, and 2025 but hasn't been able to win the title."Sabalenka has been a overpowering player like Serena, so yes she is a clear favorite on the grass in my opinion. She has the best chance to win, but she got one dimensional game and she is starting to mix it up. The serve is definitely better but other players have found a chink in her armour," he added.Comparing to what has changed over the years at the Wimbledon, Amritraj said, "the grass today is less quick compared to our playing days which also used lighter balls."As for women's tennis, he opined that the competition is "quite wide open, upsets can happen in the early stages of the tournament, especially on this surface. It is not a clear two-three men rivalry like in men's tennis over the decade. It'll be great to see who ends up holding up under the pressure and on the surface," he concluded.<h2>Where to watch and stream Wimbledon 2026 live in India?</h2>Wimbledon 2026 can be watched from June 29 - July 12, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.

Wimbledon has not seen the same women's singles winner since Serena Williams won back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. Sabalenka, meanwhile, has never reached the final with her best being semis in 2021, 2023, and 2025.

The Wimbledon 2026, year's third grand slam, is about to start on June 29 in England and a lot of stories waiting to play out with 23-gran slam winner Serena Williams' comeback being the highlight. It was also Serena who had last won the Championship back-to-back in women's singles - 2015 and 2016. It has been nearly a decade since then but not other female player has been able to achieve the same feat. In fact, women's singles have seen a different champion every year since 2017 with 2020 being cancelled due to Covid-19. At this year's championship, Iga Swiatek comes in as the reigning champion but would she be able to defend the crown remains to be seen. WION spoke to former Indian tennis player and JioStar expert Vijay Amritraj during the JioStar Media Day ahead of Wimbledon 2026 about why it is hard to repeat the success at Wimbledon for female players and he said that the "players have been of same level ever since the Williams sisters (Venus and Serena) left." Also Read - Wimbledon 2026 draw: Can Djokovic stop Sinner and win record 25th Grand Slam? "Swiatek had a bit of great run as she was unbeatable for a while but at the end, I think the girls are much better in terms of standard, performance, and temperament than the way Alcaraz and SInner have moved a little bit beyond than the rest of the bunch." Who could win Wimbledon 2026 women's singles? Picking out the winners, Amritraj noted, "among the female athletes today, it was very hard to pick up a winner," but picked out Aryna Sabalenka as the favorite to win. Sabalenka, a four-time grand slam winner, has reached the Wimbledon semis thrice in 2021, 2023, and 2025 but hasn't been able to win the title. "Sabalenka has been a overpowering player like Serena, so yes she is a clear favorite on the grass in my opinion. She has the best chance to win, but she got one dimensional game and she is starting to mix it up. The serve is definitely better but other players have found a chink in her armour," he added. Comparing to what has changed over the years at the Wimbledon, Amritraj said, "the grass today is less quick compared to our playing days which also used lighter balls." As for women's tennis, he opined that the competition is "quite wide open, upsets can happen in the early stages of the tournament, especially on this surface. It is not a clear two-three men rivalry like in men's tennis over the decade. It'll be great to see who ends up holding up under the pressure and on the surface," he concluded. Where to watch and stream Wimbledon 2026 live in India? Wimbledon 2026 can be watched from June 29 - July 12, LIVE on JioHotstar and Star Sports Network.

Wimbledon has not seen the same women's singles winner since Serena Williams won back-to-back in 2015 and 2016. Sabalenka, meanwhile, has never reached the final with her best being semis in 2021, 2023, and 2025.

Wimbledon 2026 | Ex-India player Vijay Amritraj picks Sabalenka to win women's singles

From Rohit Sharma to Harmanpreet Kaur here is a look at five sports personalities honoured with Padma Awards ahead of India’s 77th Republic Day. The list features the likes of Vijay Amritraj, Savita Punia and legendary wrestling coach Vladimir Mestvirishvili.

From Rohit Sharma to Harmanpreet Kaur here is a look at five sports personalities honoured with Padma Awards ahead of India’s 77th Republic Day. The list features the likes of Vijay Amritraj, Savita Punia and legendary wrestling coach Vladimir Mestvirishvili.

From Rohit Sharma to Harmanpreet Kaur, 5 sports personalities honoured with Padma Awards

Former doubles world number one Leander Paes and tennis broadcaster, actor and player Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian men inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday.

The first inductees from India were joined by British tennis journalist and author Richard Evans in enshrinement ceremonies at the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

Paes recounted his youth playing football and hockey before turning to tennis and eventually following his hockey-captain father as an Olympic medalist.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/tennis/news-rafael-nadal-makes-first-final-in-two-years-at-bastad-before-paris-olympics-participation-742678">Rafael Nadal makes first final in two years at Bastad before Paris Olympics participation</a>

"It's my greatest honor to be on this stage with not only these legends of the game, people who have inspired me every single day of my life -- not because you've only won Grand Slams, not because you've shaped our sport but every single one of these people have shaped the world we live in," Paes said.

"I would like to thank you so much for giving this Indian boy hope."

Amritraj, 70, played from 1970 until retiring in 1993, winning 15 ATP singles titles and 399 matches and being ranked as high as 18th in the world and helped India to the Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987.

"I am humbled and honored to join this incredible and exclusive group that have brought glory to our sport," Amritraj said.

After his playing days, Amritraj has helped humanitarian causes, backed ATP and WTA events in India and has acted in the James Bond and Star Trek movie series.

"A feeling came over me that I had never experienced," Amritraj said of learning about his election to the Hall. "This was an honor not just for me, for my family, for my parents, but for all of my fellow Indians and my country who live around the world."

Like Amritraj, Evans was inducted in the contributor category for his life impact on the sport.

Paes, 51, was an 18-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles who was selected in the player category after honing his trade in an Amritraj youth academy.

<h2>'Inspire the world'</h2>

Paes and Amritraj made India the 28th nation represented in the Hall of Fame.

"Playing for 1.4 billion people could either be pressure or it could be wind within your wings," Paes said.

"I'd like to thank every single one of my countrymen who supported me, who stood by through all the ups and downs, and we've been through a few, but you all were the inspiration, the support, you were even the strength to guide me through when even I didn't believe."

Paes won career Grand Slams in both men's and mixed doubles, completing one in men's by winning the 2012 Australian Open and another in mixed by capturing the 2016 French Open.

He won the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bronze medal by defeating Brazil's Fernando Meligeni 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

His only ATP singles title came in 1998 on Newport grass in the same venue where he was inducted.

"As my father always said to me, if you believe in yourself, you work hard, you'll be passionate not only to win prize money and trophies, but you do that to inspire the world," Paes said.

"It has been my greatest honor to play for my countrymen in seven Olympics, to stand where the national anthem is playing in all those Davis Cups, and to prove that we Asians can win Grand Slams and also be number one in our field, be it tennis or anything."

Former doubles world number one Leander Paes and tennis broadcaster, actor and player Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian men inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday.

Former doubles world number one Leander Paes and tennis broadcaster, actor and player Vijay Amritraj became the first Asian men inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday. The first inductees from India were joined by British tennis journalist and author Richard Evans in enshrinement ceremonies at the Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Paes recounted his youth playing football and hockey before turning to tennis and eventually following his hockey-captain father as an Olympic medalist. ALSO READ: Rafael Nadal makes first final in two years at Bastad before Paris Olympics participation "It's my greatest honor to be on this stage with not only these legends of the game, people who have inspired me every single day of my life -- not because you've only won Grand Slams, not because you've shaped our sport but every single one of these people have shaped the world we live in," Paes said. "I would like to thank you so much for giving this Indian boy hope." Amritraj, 70, played from 1970 until retiring in 1993, winning 15 ATP singles titles and 399 matches and being ranked as high as 18th in the world and helped India to the Davis Cup finals in 1974 and 1987. "I am humbled and honored to join this incredible and exclusive group that have brought glory to our sport," Amritraj said. After his playing days, Amritraj has helped humanitarian causes, backed ATP and WTA events in India and has acted in the James Bond and Star Trek movie series. "A feeling came over me that I had never experienced," Amritraj said of learning about his election to the Hall. "This was an honor not just for me, for my family, for my parents, but for all of my fellow Indians and my country who live around the world." Like Amritraj, Evans was inducted in the contributor category for his life impact on the sport. Paes, 51, was an 18-time Grand Slam champion in doubles and mixed doubles who was selected in the player category after honing his trade in an Amritraj youth academy. 'Inspire the world' Paes and Amritraj made India the 28th nation represented in the Hall of Fame. "Playing for 1.4 billion people could either be pressure or it could be wind within your wings," Paes said. "I'd like to thank every single one of my countrymen who supported me, who stood by through all the ups and downs, and we've been through a few, but you all were the inspiration, the support, you were even the strength to guide me through when even I didn't believe." Paes won career Grand Slams in both men's and mixed doubles, completing one in men's by winning the 2012 Australian Open and another in mixed by capturing the 2016 French Open. He won the 1996 Atlanta Olympics bronze medal by defeating Brazil's Fernando Meligeni 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. His only ATP singles title came in 1998 on Newport grass in the same venue where he was inducted. "As my father always said to me, if you believe in yourself, you work hard, you'll be passionate not only to win prize money and trophies, but you do that to inspire the world," Paes said. "It has been my greatest honor to play for my countrymen in seven Olympics, to stand where the national anthem is playing in all those Davis Cups, and to prove that we Asians can win Grand Slams and also be number one in our field, be it tennis or anything."

Leander Paes, Vijay Amritraj create history by joining International Tennis Hall of Fame

Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg, who is known for his punctuality, left a felicitation ceremony in Bengaluru&nbsp;on Tuesday&nbsp;to watch his son Leo Borg play in the Bengaluru Open. Borg left the event after Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, the chief guest of the ceremony, was late.&nbsp;As per the KSLTA officials, the chief minister was supposed to felicitate tennis legends Borg and Vijay Amritraj&nbsp;at 10:30 am but couldn't make it to the event before 11:15 am. Borg had left by then to watch his son Leo play in a Bengaluru Open match which was scheduled at 11 am The officials also added that Borg decided not to be felicitated to catch up on the match.

Speaking to The Indian express, KSLTA joint secretary said, "The chief minister could not make it on time because of his other commitments. He was also scheduled to go to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport after spending time at the KSLTA. However, when we informed the chief minister about calling off the felicitation, he took it sportively. I think the issue has been blown out of proportion." 
“Although the chief minister did not meet Borg, he met Amritraj. He also spent about 15 minutes watching a match and then left for HAL,” he added.

Meanwhile, Leo Borg lost his match 2-6, 3-6 to Taiwanese Yu Hsiou Hsu in the Round of 32 match. Leo is being watched by not only his father but millions&nbsp;others as he strives to repeat the history associated with the name Borg. Notably, Bjorn Borg, who played tennis between 1974 to 1981, was the first man to win 11 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era. Borg won six French Open and five Wimbledon trophies in his career. He also managed to win all the Wimbledon Cups back-to-back while managing four consecutive Roland Garros titles with 6-0 record in the finals.&nbsp;

Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg, who is known for his punctuality, left a felicitation ceremony in Bengaluru on Tuesday to watch his son Leo Borg play in the Bengaluru Open.

Swedish tennis legend Bjorn Borg, who is known for his punctuality, left a felicitation ceremony in Bengaluru on Tuesday to watch his son Leo Borg play in the Bengaluru Open. Borg left the event after Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai, the chief guest of the ceremony, was late. As per the KSLTA officials, the chief minister was supposed to felicitate tennis legends Borg and Vijay Amritraj at 10:30 am but couldn't make it to the event before 11:15 am. Borg had left by then to watch his son Leo play in a Bengaluru Open match which was scheduled at 11 am The officials also added that Borg decided not to be felicitated to catch up on the match. Speaking to The Indian express, KSLTA joint secretary said, "The chief minister could not make it on time because of his other commitments. He was also scheduled to go to Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Airport after spending time at the KSLTA. However, when we informed the chief minister about calling off the felicitation, he took it sportively. I think the issue has been blown out of proportion." “Although the chief minister did not meet Borg, he met Amritraj. He also spent about 15 minutes watching a match and then left for HAL,” he added. Meanwhile, Leo Borg lost his match 2-6, 3-6 to Taiwanese Yu Hsiou Hsu in the Round of 32 match. Leo is being watched by not only his father but millions others as he strives to repeat the history associated with the name Borg. Notably, Bjorn Borg, who played tennis between 1974 to 1981, was the first man to win 11 Grand Slam singles titles in the Open Era. Borg won six French Open and five Wimbledon trophies in his career. He also managed to win all the Wimbledon Cups back-to-back while managing four consecutive Roland Garros titles with 6-0 record in the finals.

Tennis: Bjorn Borg leaves felicitation ceremony to watch son Leo play after Karnataka CM runs late

There are some sportspersons who transcend their sports and become global icons. Roger Federer holds a special place in the heart of every tennis fan. The 20-time Grand Slam Champion will retire after the Laver Cup in September. WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo spoke to Indian Tennis Legend Vijay Amritraj on the legacy of the Swiss maestro.

WION Sports Exclusive: Vijay Amritraj reflects on Roger Federer's legendary career

Naresh Kumar, who reigned supreme over the Indian tennis scene back in the 1950s, passed away at the advanced age of 93 on 14th September. He is now survived by&nbsp;his wife Sunita, son Arjun, and two daughters -- Gita and Preah.

Kumar represented the country in the iconic Davis Cup on 17 different occasions between 1952 and 1960, putting together a record of 26-20 in both singles and doubles formats. In addition to his personal exploits on the tennis court, Kumar is very well known for mentoring the renowned Leander Paes.

ALSO READ:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/exclusive-vijay-amritraj-reveals-why-fans-prefer-roger-federer-over-rafael-nadal-and-novak-djokovic-516809" hreflang="en">EXCLUSIVE | Vijay Amritraj reveals why fans prefer Roger Federer over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic</a>

The former Indian player and commentator Vijay Amritraj recently featured in interaction with WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo shortly after news of Kumar's demise broke. Amritraj went on to offer a tribute to the Indian tennis icon.

"Obviously so much senior to me, so much of a great champion he was during the time of the 50s and 60s, and he and Krish played great doubles together, and a stalwart of Indian tennis, no question about it. And Krish always talks so highly about him over the years when I played for Krish when he was captain of the Davis Cup team."

He subsequently went on to offer fans some insight into the earliest memories that he held of the Indian tennis legend, recalling how he along with other up-and-coming tennis players would travel to his house in Guwahati to seek refuge at the age of 13. He recalled how they would care for the youngsters while they sought to hone their craft in coaching centres.&nbsp;

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-will-miss-seeing-you-on-the-court-making-us-enjoy-lionel-messi-all-praise-for-genius-roger-federer-516747" hreflang="en">We will miss seeing you on the court making us enjoy: Lionel Messi all praise for 'genius' Roger Federer</a>

"Sunita and Naresh played the perfect hosts. They were wonderful to young players, who were coming up at the time. And we got on from that moment on to be very good friends and continued to meet at Wimbledon constantly during the years of my career of playing.

"So he was always there, encouraging youngsters to come along and take over from what they were doing," admitted Amritraj.

Naresh Kumar, who reigned supreme over the Indian tennis scene back in the 1950s, passed away at the advanced age of 93 on 14th September. He is now survived by his wife Sunita, son Arjun, and two daughters -- Gita and Preah.

Naresh Kumar, who reigned supreme over the Indian tennis scene back in the 1950s, passed away at the advanced age of 93 on 14th September. He is now survived by his wife Sunita, son Arjun, and two daughters -- Gita and Preah. Kumar represented the country in the iconic Davis Cup on 17 different occasions between 1952 and 1960, putting together a record of 26-20 in both singles and doubles formats. In addition to his personal exploits on the tennis court, Kumar is very well known for mentoring the renowned Leander Paes. ALSO READ: EXCLUSIVE | Vijay Amritraj reveals why fans prefer Roger Federer over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic The former Indian player and commentator Vijay Amritraj recently featured in interaction with WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo shortly after news of Kumar's demise broke. Amritraj went on to offer a tribute to the Indian tennis icon. "Obviously so much senior to me, so much of a great champion he was during the time of the 50s and 60s, and he and Krish played great doubles together, and a stalwart of Indian tennis, no question about it. And Krish always talks so highly about him over the years when I played for Krish when he was captain of the Davis Cup team." He subsequently went on to offer fans some insight into the earliest memories that he held of the Indian tennis legend, recalling how he along with other up-and-coming tennis players would travel to his house in Guwahati to seek refuge at the age of 13. He recalled how they would care for the youngsters while they sought to hone their craft in coaching centres. ALSO READ: We will miss seeing you on the court making us enjoy: Lionel Messi all praise for 'genius' Roger Federer "Sunita and Naresh played the perfect hosts. They were wonderful to young players, who were coming up at the time. And we got on from that moment on to be very good friends and continued to meet at Wimbledon constantly during the years of my career of playing. "So he was always there, encouraging youngsters to come along and take over from what they were doing," admitted Amritraj.

'Stalwart of Indian tennis'- Vijay Amritraj offers a touching tribute to Naresh Kumar shortly after his demise

Swiss maestro Roger Federer, on Thursday evening (September 15), dropped a bomb by announcing his retirement from the game after this year's Laver Cup, to be held later this month. Federer, former world number one, is easily regarded as one of the most iconic athletes and his retirement has led to reactions pouring in all from all corners of the sporting fraternity.

Federer took to his official Twitter account and wrote, "As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I've worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear.

"I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career."

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Keeping his frequent run-ins with injury issues, it was only a matter of time before Federer called time on his storied career in professional sports. In the aftermath of Federer's shock announcement,&nbsp;WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo caught up with former professional tennis player and commentator, Vijay Amritraj, who expressed a similar sentiment, asserting that his retirement couldn't have been delayed any longer owing to his advancing age.

"Well, it was certainly coming. I mean, he's 41 years of age, he's won everything there is to have won, but we can talk numbers all day long because he's really got all the numbers that you could possibly want... I think you could use a lot of superlative words to describe the way Federer played. Things like grace and elegance and beauty and ballet."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/you-inspired-countless-millions-serena-williams-welcomes-roger-federer-to-retirement-club-516712" hreflang="en">'You inspired countless millions' - Serena Williams welcomes Roger Federer to retirement club</a>

You mentioned Djokovic, you mentioned Rafael Nadal, well, I'm going to attempt to go straight to the GOAT debate.

"We can talk about this all day long, but at the end of the day, we're just fortunate to have seen three of the greatest players of all time play in the same era. That is incredibly unusual to see, all these guys at 20, 21, 22 and we're talking about Majors here, we're not talking about Tour titles; we're talking about Majors.

"And so, obviously, Federer got there first, Nadal came along and caught him, then went ahead a little bit, then Djokovic came ahead and caught them both, and then so on and so forth. But let's not forget that all three of them are pretty much in the same category as far as GOATs are concerned."

When Nadal came along, there was initially some tension, Nadal started beating Roger Federer,&nbsp;that was a point where Federer had his unparalleled reign, across men's tennis. But over the years Vijay, that rivalry blossomed into healthy respect they now call each other friends.&nbsp;

"Well, I guess Nadal came along first to challenge Federer and started beating him. And then of course, once you beat someone, &nbsp;you think the guy is not good enough till he beats you again...

"I think when you look at that rivalry that got started, and then Federer realised that this guy is someone who is going to challenge me all the way through my career, needless to say, Djokovic came right behind him...

"So when you look at the challenges that came along, and the challenges got good enough to start to push Federer and Nadal, and then Djokovic started to climb up there into that same stratosphere as these two guys, and then they found another guy knocking on the door on a regular basis, they all had to raise and level up their game."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/reliving-arch-rivals-roger-federer-rafael-nadals-epic-camaraderie-over-the-years-video-516770" hreflang="en">Reliving arch-rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal's epic camaraderie over the years - Video</a>

Why do fans tend to tilt towards Roger Federer over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic?

"Yes, I think the reason we tilt towards Roger Federer, globally, is really because of the way he played, the way he conducted himself, he looked graceful when he played the game.

"Even when he missed, he looked like a ballet dancer. So you kind of tended to favour that portion of it in the subconscious on a regular basis. And I can understand that completely because he's so beautiful to watch."

If I could press you to perhaps recount one personal anecdote, which is going to always stay in your mind and define Roger Federer for you 20 years from now?

"Perhaps the one thing that truly stands out is meeting him for the first time. It was in Shanghai, getting ready to play the Shanghai masters. I was there covering for television, I was coming down the lift, and there was a lady in the lift with me.

"We started talking a bit and as we were getting off she introduced herself and she said, 'I followed your career over the years, always admired you so much.' Which was very kind of her. We came out into the lobby and she said, 'I would like you to meet my son.' And she then introduced me to Roger.

"It was great to meet him. He was obviously in the world finals, and she said to him, 'Roger, you know, Vijay,' we chatted a little bit and she said to him, 'I always admired him for the way he behaved on the tennis court, and I hope you would do the same.' And I thought that was a very special moment coming from his mom."

ALSO READ:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/we-will-miss-seeing-you-on-the-court-making-us-enjoy-lionel-messi-all-praise-for-genius-roger-federer-516747" hreflang="en">We will miss seeing you on the court making us enjoy: Lionel Messi all praise for 'genius' Roger Federer</a>

Federer managed to rack up a myriad of accomplishments over the course of his storied career that lasted almost 24 years. Most notably, the Swiss maestro laid claim to 20 Grand Slam&nbsp;titles, in addition to a whopping 103 ATP singles titles. Although the Laver Cup will be Federer's swansong in the realm of professional tennis, his name will undoubtedly live on.

Swiss maestro Roger Federer, on Thursday evening (September 15), dropped a bomb by announcing his retirement from the game after this year's Laver Cup, to be held later this month.

Swiss maestro Roger Federer, on Thursday evening (September 15), dropped a bomb by announcing his retirement from the game after this year's Laver Cup, to be held later this month. Federer, former world number one, is easily regarded as one of the most iconic athletes and his retirement has led to reactions pouring in all from all corners of the sporting fraternity. Federer took to his official Twitter account and wrote, "As many of you know, the past three years have presented me with challenges in the form of injuries and surgeries. I've worked hard to return to full competitive form. But I also know my body's capacities and limits, and its message to me lately has been clear. "I am 41 years old. I have played more than 1,500 matches over 24 years. Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognise when it is time to end my competitive career." ❤️ pic.twitter.com/YxtVWrlXIF — Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) September 15, 2022 × Keeping his frequent run-ins with injury issues, it was only a matter of time before Federer called time on his storied career in professional sports. In the aftermath of Federer's shock announcement, WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo caught up with former professional tennis player and commentator, Vijay Amritraj, who expressed a similar sentiment, asserting that his retirement couldn't have been delayed any longer owing to his advancing age. "Well, it was certainly coming. I mean, he's 41 years of age, he's won everything there is to have won, but we can talk numbers all day long because he's really got all the numbers that you could possibly want... I think you could use a lot of superlative words to describe the way Federer played. Things like grace and elegance and beauty and ballet." ALSO READ: 'You inspired countless millions' - Serena Williams welcomes Roger Federer to retirement club You mentioned Djokovic, you mentioned Rafael Nadal, well, I'm going to attempt to go straight to the GOAT debate. "We can talk about this all day long, but at the end of the day, we're just fortunate to have seen three of the greatest players of all time play in the same era. That is incredibly unusual to see, all these guys at 20, 21, 22 and we're talking about Majors here, we're not talking about Tour titles; we're talking about Majors. "And so, obviously, Federer got there first, Nadal came along and caught him, then went ahead a little bit, then Djokovic came ahead and caught them both, and then so on and so forth. But let's not forget that all three of them are pretty much in the same category as far as GOATs are concerned." When Nadal came along, there was initially some tension, Nadal started beating Roger Federer, that was a point where Federer had his unparalleled reign, across men's tennis. But over the years Vijay, that rivalry blossomed into healthy respect they now call each other friends. "Well, I guess Nadal came along first to challenge Federer and started beating him. And then of course, once you beat someone, you think the guy is not good enough till he beats you again... "I think when you look at that rivalry that got started, and then Federer realised that this guy is someone who is going to challenge me all the way through my career, needless to say, Djokovic came right behind him... "So when you look at the challenges that came along, and the challenges got good enough to start to push Federer and Nadal, and then Djokovic started to climb up there into that same stratosphere as these two guys, and then they found another guy knocking on the door on a regular basis, they all had to raise and level up their game." ALSO READ: Reliving arch-rivals Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal's epic camaraderie over the years - Video Why do fans tend to tilt towards Roger Federer over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic? "Yes, I think the reason we tilt towards Roger Federer, globally, is really because of the way he played, the way he conducted himself, he looked graceful when he played the game. "Even when he missed, he looked like a ballet dancer. So you kind of tended to favour that portion of it in the subconscious on a regular basis. And I can understand that completely because he's so beautiful to watch." If I could press you to perhaps recount one personal anecdote, which is going to always stay in your mind and define Roger Federer for you 20 years from now? "Perhaps the one thing that truly stands out is meeting him for the first time. It was in Shanghai, getting ready to play the Shanghai masters. I was there covering for television, I was coming down the lift, and there was a lady in the lift with me. "We started talking a bit and as we were getting off she introduced herself and she said, 'I followed your career over the years, always admired you so much.' Which was very kind of her. We came out into the lobby and she said, 'I would like you to meet my son.' And she then introduced me to Roger. "It was great to meet him. He was obviously in the world finals, and she said to him, 'Roger, you know, Vijay,' we chatted a little bit and she said to him, 'I always admired him for the way he behaved on the tennis court, and I hope you would do the same.' And I thought that was a very special moment coming from his mom." ALSO READ: We will miss seeing you on the court making us enjoy: Lionel Messi all praise for 'genius' Roger Federer Federer managed to rack up a myriad of accomplishments over the course of his storied career that lasted almost 24 years. Most notably, the Swiss maestro laid claim to 20 Grand Slam titles, in addition to a whopping 103 ATP singles titles. Although the Laver Cup will be Federer's swansong in the realm of professional tennis, his name will undoubtedly live on.

EXCLUSIVE | Vijay Amritraj reveals why fans prefer Roger Federer over Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic

Indian Tennis legend Vijay Amritraj has hailed Rafael Nadal's work ethic and his tenacity with the Spaniard coming from behind to beat Daniil Medvedev in the Australian Open Men's Singles final on Sunday. Amritraj believes the gap between the 'Big Three' and the younger players is decreasing and says Nadal holds a slight edge in the race to be crowned G.O.A.T in Men's singles. Amritraj was speaking to WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo.

WION Exclusive with Vijay Amritraj

Rafael Nadal rose to the occasion when not many had given him a chance as he came from two sets down to beat 2nd seeded Daniil Medvedev in an epic final to clinch the men's singles title at the Australian Open on Sunday (January 30). It was nothing short of extraordinary performance from the veteran Spaniard, who had been written off and was far from a favourite at the start of the first Grand Slam event of the year.

Nadal got off to a shaky start losing back-to-back two sets despite giving his all in the second one. It seemed Medvedev had buried any chances of a comeback for the Spaniard and looked well on course for a dominating triumph at the Melbourne Park. However, Nadal, the fierce warrior that he is, fought back and went on to stun the Russian in the most stellar fashion.

In a gruelling final clash that lasted over five hours, Nadal defeated Medvedev&nbsp;2-6 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 to surpass arch-rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in becoming the first man to reach the magical number of 21 career Grand Slam titles. Nadal was six months out with a foot injury and had endured COVID-19 before making a dream comeback at the Australian Open 2022.

Indian tennis great Vijay Amritraj, who has closely watched the progress of Nadal since he started out as a teen prodigy, lauded the Spaniard for his incredible achievement and hailed him as one of the greatest of all time. Amritraj, a former tennis player and a commentator, heaped praise on the Big 3 (Nadal, Djokovic and Federer) for what they have achieved in the last two decades but admitted Nadal deserved to be ahead in the debate for the Greatest of All Time.

"Frankly, it doesn't even matter. All these three guys have been chasing history for quite a while now. And it's incredible that for so many decades we have not had one player to get to so many majors in his career and all of a sudden, in one era we have three guys to have reached 20. It's unimaginable to even think that," Amritraj told WION's Sports editor Digvijay Singh Deo in an exclusive interaction.

"We have three guys who have 20 each and going into this tournament (Australian Open 2022), we had Djokovic coming in there possible as a favourite, had he played. But now, you have Nadal at 21 which is a staggering number to even look at.&nbsp;

"But at the end of the day, is he the greatest of all time now with the sheer numbers along? There has to be a debate but you will have to give it to him, wouldn't you?" - he added.

Also Read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/rafael-nadal-wins-historic-21st-grand-slam-a-look-at-his-journey-to-memorable-australian-open-triumph-448534">&nbsp;Rafael Nadal wins historic 21st Grand Slam: A look at his journey to memorable Aus&nbsp;Open triumph</a>

Medvedev, who started the final on a confident note, clinched the first set comfortably 2-6 and made an amazing comeback from &nbsp;1-4 down to take the second set 6-7(5). It all seemed too easy for the Russian until the fighter inside Nadal arose and pushed him to pull off the unthinkable despite being left with a mountain to climb after losing the first two sets.&nbsp;

Nadal bounced back and managed to clinch the third set 6-4. He then raced to a 4-2 lead in the fourth set before bagging it 6-4 to force the final into a decider. Nadal kept his composure in the final set and despite a tough fight from Medvedev, he won the decider 7-5 to lay his hands on his second Australian Open title which came after a wait of 13 years.

Hailing Nadal as a fighter, who can never be counted out of an important game, Amritraj said he will put Nadal along with the legendary Rod Laver in the category of the greatest of all time. The Indian tennis great stated that the major difference between the Big 3 and others is their resilience and the ability to handle pressure in a five-setter which makes them great champions.

"Nadal is a great fighter, but when I say greatest of all time, I keep Rod Laver in there always because of the two Grand Slams he won (winning four majors in a single year). He did it in 1962 and once again in 1969 so I will always keep Laver up there. Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, I put them all in the same category," said the Indian tennis great.

"Rafa coming from two sets down in the final, he is never out of the match. All these guys, they have all played amazing 5th sets and that's why they are such great champions. To lose two sets and then the way Rafa came back in it, and the way he won the game, it was overwhelming to see. Not just the physical aspect of it but the mental aspect," he added.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/proud-to-share-this-era-with-you-federer-djokovic-laud-rafael-nadal-on-historic-21st-grand-slam-title-449042">'Proud to share this era with you': Federer, Djokovic laud Rafael Nadal on historic 21st Grand Slam title</a>

<h2>Rafael Nadal is all about hard work: Vijay Amritraj&nbsp;</h2>

In awe of Nadal's work ethic, Amritraj recalled an interesting anecdote involving the Australian Open champion. The Indian great recalled the time when Nadal had played in the Chennai Open as a teenager and had left him impressed with his fitness and agility. Vijayraj said he always knew Nadal was going to be the fitness monster that he has become and was destined for greater things in his career.&nbsp;

"Rafa Nadal when you look at him, you think it's entirely got to do with the work. You don't think of talent, you don't think of grace or skills. You look at Rafa and you think, anyone who works this hard, or looks this fit and athletic on the court has to have put everything into his practice and his fitness and that's what exactly he has done.

So when he comes out in the 5th set, he is thinking I want to be the better of the two players. I go back when he was 16 or 17 and got a wildcard to play in the Chennai Open. He made his debut and might have even won the doubles at the Chennai Open at 16 or 17. We knew at that point that he is going to be a fitness demon and that's what he turned himself into. He works so much harder than any of his opponents and even runs more than any of his opponents during the course of a tournament," said Amritraj.

Rafael Nadal rose to the occasion when not many had given him a chance as he came from two sets down to beat 2nd seeded Daniil Medvedev in an epic final to clinch the men's singles title at the Australian Open on Sunday (January 30).

Rafael Nadal rose to the occasion when not many had given him a chance as he came from two sets down to beat 2nd seeded Daniil Medvedev in an epic final to clinch the men's singles title at the Australian Open on Sunday (January 30). It was nothing short of extraordinary performance from the veteran Spaniard, who had been written off and was far from a favourite at the start of the first Grand Slam event of the year. Nadal got off to a shaky start losing back-to-back two sets despite giving his all in the second one. It seemed Medvedev had buried any chances of a comeback for the Spaniard and looked well on course for a dominating triumph at the Melbourne Park. However, Nadal, the fierce warrior that he is, fought back and went on to stun the Russian in the most stellar fashion. In a gruelling final clash that lasted over five hours, Nadal defeated Medvedev 2-6 6-7(5) 6-4 6-4 7-5 to surpass arch-rivals Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic in becoming the first man to reach the magical number of 21 career Grand Slam titles. Nadal was six months out with a foot injury and had endured COVID-19 before making a dream comeback at the Australian Open 2022. Indian tennis great Vijay Amritraj, who has closely watched the progress of Nadal since he started out as a teen prodigy, lauded the Spaniard for his incredible achievement and hailed him as one of the greatest of all time. Amritraj, a former tennis player and a commentator, heaped praise on the Big 3 (Nadal, Djokovic and Federer) for what they have achieved in the last two decades but admitted Nadal deserved to be ahead in the debate for the Greatest of All Time. "Frankly, it doesn't even matter. All these three guys have been chasing history for quite a while now. And it's incredible that for so many decades we have not had one player to get to so many majors in his career and all of a sudden, in one era we have three guys to have reached 20. It's unimaginable to even think that," Amritraj told WION's Sports editor Digvijay Singh Deo in an exclusive interaction. "We have three guys who have 20 each and going into this tournament (Australian Open 2022), we had Djokovic coming in there possible as a favourite, had he played. But now, you have Nadal at 21 which is a staggering number to even look at. "But at the end of the day, is he the greatest of all time now with the sheer numbers along? There has to be a debate but you will have to give it to him, wouldn't you?" - he added. Also Read: Rafael Nadal wins historic 21st Grand Slam: A look at his journey to memorable Aus Open triumph Medvedev, who started the final on a confident note, clinched the first set comfortably 2-6 and made an amazing comeback from 1-4 down to take the second set 6-7(5). It all seemed too easy for the Russian until the fighter inside Nadal arose and pushed him to pull off the unthinkable despite being left with a mountain to climb after losing the first two sets. Nadal bounced back and managed to clinch the third set 6-4. He then raced to a 4-2 lead in the fourth set before bagging it 6-4 to force the final into a decider. Nadal kept his composure in the final set and despite a tough fight from Medvedev, he won the decider 7-5 to lay his hands on his second Australian Open title which came after a wait of 13 years. Hailing Nadal as a fighter, who can never be counted out of an important game, Amritraj said he will put Nadal along with the legendary Rod Laver in the category of the greatest of all time. The Indian tennis great stated that the major difference between the Big 3 and others is their resilience and the ability to handle pressure in a five-setter which makes them great champions. "Nadal is a great fighter, but when I say greatest of all time, I keep Rod Laver in there always because of the two Grand Slams he won (winning four majors in a single year). He did it in 1962 and once again in 1969 so I will always keep Laver up there. Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, I put them all in the same category," said the Indian tennis great. "Rafa coming from two sets down in the final, he is never out of the match. All these guys, they have all played amazing 5th sets and that's why they are such great champions. To lose two sets and then the way Rafa came back in it, and the way he won the game, it was overwhelming to see. Not just the physical aspect of it but the mental aspect," he added. Also Read: 'Proud to share this era with you': Federer, Djokovic laud Rafael Nadal on historic 21st Grand Slam title Rafael Nadal is all about hard work: Vijay Amritraj In awe of Nadal's work ethic, Amritraj recalled an interesting anecdote involving the Australian Open champion. The Indian great recalled the time when Nadal had played in the Chennai Open as a teenager and had left him impressed with his fitness and agility. Vijayraj said he always knew Nadal was going to be the fitness monster that he has become and was destined for greater things in his career. "Rafa Nadal when you look at him, you think it's entirely got to do with the work. You don't think of talent, you don't think of grace or skills. You look at Rafa and you think, anyone who works this hard, or looks this fit and athletic on the court has to have put everything into his practice and his fitness and that's what exactly he has done. So when he comes out in the 5th set, he is thinking I want to be the better of the two players. I go back when he was 16 or 17 and got a wildcard to play in the Chennai Open. He made his debut and might have even won the doubles at the Chennai Open at 16 or 17. We knew at that point that he is going to be a fitness demon and that's what he turned himself into. He works so much harder than any of his opponents and even runs more than any of his opponents during the course of a tournament," said Amritraj.

Exclusive! Have to give it to him: Vijay Amritraj on GOAT debate after Rafael Nadal bags 21st Grand Slam title

Novak&nbsp;Djokovic's&nbsp;intentions in organising the ill-fated Adria Tour were good but the world number one could have applied a&nbsp;bit&nbsp;more&nbsp;common&nbsp;sense&nbsp;to how the exhibition&nbsp;event&nbsp;was run, former ATP players' council head&nbsp;Vijay&nbsp;Amritraj&nbsp;has told Reuters.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/blame-me-but-leave-novak-djokovic-alone-serbian-prime-minister-ana-brnabic-309985" hreflang="en">Blame me but leave Novak Djokovic alone: Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic</a>

The Serbian has faced fierce criticism after he, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki contracted COVID-19 following the charity&nbsp;event&nbsp;in Serbia and Croatia.

Indian&nbsp;Amritraj&nbsp;told Reuters that while the world number one's intentions were "absolutely correct", and that he had followed local government protocols, he should have went the extra mile to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved.

"In hindsight, yes, obviously he could have taken a lot more precautions before running the&nbsp;event," the 66-year-old television pundit told Reuters by telephone from Los Angeles.

"In spite of certain local government mandates, I think it is critical to follow some&nbsp;common&nbsp;sense."

Djokovic has apologised and admitted it was probably "too soon" to run the&nbsp;event, which was played in front of packed stands in Belgrade.

Amritraj, who reached a career-high ranking of 18 and beat Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver and Jimmy Connors in his playing career, thought the tournament would have been good for&nbsp;tennis&nbsp;as it would bring the sport back on television.

"As days progressed, I realised that they were going to put about 1,000 people in a stadium and I really didn't know how big the stadium was," he added.

"And later on ... after finding out that the&nbsp;event&nbsp;itself had pretty much a full house from the perspective of fans and none of this social distancing, masks, all of that were even in play, it became very much more of a concern."

Djokovic also heads up the players council on the ATP Tour and&nbsp;Amritraj, who held the same post for four terms from 1989, said it came with a "huge" responsibility.

"Same for Roger (Federer) and Rafa (Nadal), whatever they say or do is going to have a&nbsp;great&nbsp;degree of influence over the sport worldwide and what people think," he added.

Amritraj&nbsp;said the Adria Tour debacle showed there should be no crowds if, as planned, the main circuits restart in August after a gap of five months.

"The crowd usually makes a huge difference," he said.

"Unfortunately you will lose that element of the match. It'll be pretty straightforward to see a spectacular point and there'll be no applause in the way.

"So that certainly will affect the players. But again, it's something that we have to get used to, and it's better than not having it at all."

Novak Djokovic's intentions in organising the ill-fated Adria Tour were good but the world number one could have applied a bit more common sense to how the exhibition event was run, former ATP players' council head Vijay Amritraj has told Reuters.

Novak Djokovic's intentions in organising the ill-fated Adria Tour were good but the world number one could have applied a bit more common sense to how the exhibition event was run, former ATP players' council head Vijay Amritraj has told Reuters. Also read: Blame me but leave Novak Djokovic alone: Serbian Prime Minister Ana Brnabic The Serbian has faced fierce criticism after he, Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric and Viktor Troicki contracted COVID-19 following the charity event in Serbia and Croatia. Indian Amritraj told Reuters that while the world number one's intentions were "absolutely correct", and that he had followed local government protocols, he should have went the extra mile to ensure the health and safety of everyone involved. "In hindsight, yes, obviously he could have taken a lot more precautions before running the event," the 66-year-old television pundit told Reuters by telephone from Los Angeles. "In spite of certain local government mandates, I think it is critical to follow some common sense." Djokovic has apologised and admitted it was probably "too soon" to run the event, which was played in front of packed stands in Belgrade. Amritraj, who reached a career-high ranking of 18 and beat Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver and Jimmy Connors in his playing career, thought the tournament would have been good for tennis as it would bring the sport back on television. "As days progressed, I realised that they were going to put about 1,000 people in a stadium and I really didn't know how big the stadium was," he added. "And later on ... after finding out that the event itself had pretty much a full house from the perspective of fans and none of this social distancing, masks, all of that were even in play, it became very much more of a concern." Djokovic also heads up the players council on the ATP Tour and Amritraj, who held the same post for four terms from 1989, said it came with a "huge" responsibility. "Same for Roger (Federer) and Rafa (Nadal), whatever they say or do is going to have a great degree of influence over the sport worldwide and what people think," he added. Amritraj said the Adria Tour debacle showed there should be no crowds if, as planned, the main circuits restart in August after a gap of five months. "The crowd usually makes a huge difference," he said. "Unfortunately you will lose that element of the match. It'll be pretty straightforward to see a spectacular point and there'll be no applause in the way. "So that certainly will affect the players. But again, it's something that we have to get used to, and it's better than not having it at all."

Novak Djokovic event lacked bit of common sense, says Vijay Amritraj

The coronavirus has seen the postponement of the french open , the cancellation of wimbledon and the fate of the us open still remains uncertain. tennis legend Vijay Amritraj believes coordinating the travel of international players will be the biggest challenge for the united states tennis association and that travel restrictions globally could make it difficult to host the traditional final grand slam of the year. Amritraj paid tribute to the remarkable rivalry between roger federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak djokovic and also compared the three to the great champions he played against.

India's original sporting superstar Vijay Amritraj admits US open fate still uncertain

The recipient of Padma Shri and Indian tennis great, Vijay Amritraj, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a variety of things ranging from cancellation of Wimbledon, fate of US Open, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, sporting word post-lockdown, the rivalry between Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, some of the iconic moments in his career, future of tennis in India and much more.

The recipient of Padma Shri and Indian tennis great, Vijay Amritraj, in an exclusive interview with WION's Sports Editor Digvijay Singh Deo, spoke on a variety of things ranging from cancellation of Wimbledon, fate of US Open, postponement of Tokyo Olympics, sporting word post-lockdown, the rivalry between Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, some of the iconic moments in his career, future of tennis in India and much more... Digvijay Singh Deo: Vijay Amritraj, we have managed to negotiate a 12 and a half-hour time zone difference for this interview. Many thanks for your time. Vijay Amritraj: Thanks for having me, Digvijay. This a first for me as well. Looking forward to covering a range of issues with you over the course of the interview. I would just like to say that my thoughts go out to all those who have lost their loved ones due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hopefully, we can keep the number of cases down to the minimum in India and overcome this crisis very soon. DSD: You are on the West Coast of America and that area has been a major COVID -19 hotspot. How difficult has it been for you all over there? Vijay Amritraj: Yes, it has been very difficult for us over here. In the US, it has spread rapidly over the last couple of months. The epicentre in the country was New York and because of the density of population in that area, it has been very difficult to contain the virus. Most people also use public transport in New York, which has been a major cause for the outbreak. Other parts of the country are not as densely populated and there is less contact between two individuals on an average. DSD: The question everyone seems to be asking is how did America get this so wrong? One-third of the cases worldwide have been from the US... Vijay Amritraj: Yes, the US does have to deal with natural disasters on a regular basis. There have been hurricanes and cyclones, but nothing on the scale of the coronavirus. The virus is so dangerous that it is really difficult to prepare for anything like this. The unprecedented nature of the crisis also makes it tough for the American Center for Disease Control or CDC to contain it in an appropriate manner. The last pandemic that caused so many deaths around the world was the Spanish flu back in 1918. We have had disasters since then, but they have been one-off events. We sometimes forget that the influenza virus kills over 36,000 people in the US every year, that is a huge number which gets overlooked, even though there is a vaccine present for influenza. So, I think it is essential to be prepared as a society for certain things that are likely to happen because we don't live in a local economy any more, we live in a truly global world. DSD: You go back in history and real leadership shines through in times of real crisis. Has this tragedy shown up a lot of leaders around the world? Vijay Amritraj: It's like that saying we use so often in sport, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. That I feel holds true for every walk of life. The strength and character of individuals or governments are tested during times of strife. The real test for us as a global community is how we will be able to overcome this crisis together while being alone or isolated. Only a few days ago, it was the 75th anniversary of the victory of Britain and its allies in World War II. It takes me back to Winston Churchill's victory speech, which was really poignant and he was able to capture the spirit of the nation. That sort of strong leadership is what we need right now. The way our world leaders conduct themselves during this crisis is what they will be remembered for. I can only hope and pray that our world leaders can step up and rise to the expectations that we have of them. DSD: Okay, let's move away from politics. Wimbledon has been cancelled for the year but we have the US Open up next. As things stand it may go ahead but could be in your part of the world at Indian Wells that's the current buzz. Vijay Amritraj: There are a lot of rumours floating around, but nothing obviously has been confirmed. The last information I received was that the US Open organisers were waiting till June 1 to make a decision on the event. At the moment, the National Tennis Centre in New York is still a makeshift hospital with about 500 beds. The situation in New York is still very serious and because of that, I think the state machinery needs the facilities at Flushing Meadows. There are two choices available to the US Open organisers at the moment, the first is to play the tournament without any fans and the second would be to shift the event to Indian Wells on the West coast. But the difficulty in holding a Grand Slam event is that we have players coming in from all parts of the world. With the travel restrictions at present, it is going to be extremely difficult to co-ordinate the arrangements of all the players. Then there is the question of the frequency of testing. Even without fans, 4,000-5,000 people would be needed to run the event, who would have to practice social distancing. Professional tennis has actually returned, a tournament is being held in Orlando, Florida without any fans, but it is being broadcast on television and the internet. The event features four players among the top 60 players in the world and is being held without any ball-boys. During the match, only the two players and the umpire are on the court. It's the first sporting event that will be shown live in the last two months, so it will be a great test event for other tournaments. DSD: The thing with sports like tennis and golf is, that players need to travel from all over the world,...Many countries don't even have flights operating yet, so will it be fair to hold tournaments when certain players won't be able to participate because of travel restrictions or quarantine regulations. Vijay Amritraj: Yes, that is a valid point. The UK has already introduced a two-week quarantine period for international travellers when they enter the country. That is probably going to be the case with other countries as well because they will have to watch their borders. I think travel restrictions are going to be present for the next few months, which makes it all the more difficult to hold a major international event like the US Open. DSD: The real dilemma perhaps is for the players.some of them really need the money now as the ecosystem of the sport has taken a hit. But then travelling from one country to another will also entail quarantine regulations. It is a complete journey into the unknown at the moment not just for tennis but for all professional sport. The situation is so bad that the Olympics got postponed. Vijay Amritraj: The Olympics had to be postponed, there was no way the event could have been held in the current crisis. There are still question marks over the 2021 Games as well because no one really knows when the situation will get better. The second most widely played sport in the world after football, is tennis and players travel all over the world on a weekly basis for tournaments. The various European football leagues take place domestically and it is possible to hold matches without the hassles of international travel. The media rights for the football leagues also generate a lot of revenue for the clubs. In tennis events in North America and Europe, there are mainly three sources of income - media and broadcasting rights, sponsorship and hospitality and ticket sales. Now if we telecast live events on the television and the internet, enough income can be brought in through sponsorship to sustain the sport over the next few months. In India, the major source of income for most sports events is sponsorship. Media and broadcasting rights don't amount for a substantial amount of money, except in the case of the IPL and other major cricket events. Ticket sales also contribute very little to the bottom line. So, I think live tennis can happen in India with domestic players taking part. DSD: How will sport react when all this finally opens up? Till a vaccine is found social distancing will remain the norm,..but in sports like tennis, golf there have to be repeated tests of the professionals because of the close proximity the players share with each other... Vijay Amritraj: In the case of golf, it is possible to maintain social distancing. The golfer can maintain a certain amount of distance with his or her caddie. Golf courses have opened up in California and it is possible to have staggered tee times for players, that way the golfer can travel through a course on a cart and not come in contact with any other person. So, it is possible to hold tournaments in golf in the current climate. Basketball is a contact sport, but since there are only ten players on the court, each one of them can be tested before a particular game. However, there might be logistical issues in testing. Holding events without fans might end up being the immediate new normal for sporting events. The NBA might even consider getting all the teams in one city in isolation camps so that they are able to play out the season. DSD: How do you look at the big 3 of men’s tennis bouncing back from this? Roger Federer had surgery and the last we saw him was hitting balls on a wall, Rafael Nadal hasn’t held a racket since Indian Wells and Novak Djokovic got into trouble for hitting the tennis courts in Spain. Vijay Amritraj: The big 3 are not even chasing history, they are just chasing each other. Roger Federer is now 38, so every 6-month window makes a huge difference to his career. He will certainly be looking to stay ahead of both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in that grand slam race. Nadal would have been the favourite for the French Open in May, he would have tied Federer's tally of 20 majors if he had won the tournament. Djokovic is also not far away from these two with 17 majors. If Federer had taken those two match points at Wimbledon last year, he would have built up a considerable lead on the Serb, but now Djokovic is hot on the heels of the Swiss maestro. The big 3 are not chasing history or money or fame. These three have made history in their own right and they continue to push each other to greater heights. The only question is how long will they be able to continue doing that. As for the chasing pack- Dominic Thiem Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas- these three are losing a year and that might prove to be a blow to them because they have a long way to go in catching up with the big 3. The non-elite players are losing momentum and will see this as a missed opportunity. The only thing common for all tennis players on both tours is that none of them has touched a tennis racket during the lockdown. DSD: It’s a remarkable rivalry isn't it Vijay, how the three have pushed each other. Today Federer is just one ahead of Nadal and Djokovic is breathing down both their necks and the younger and hungrier man. Vijay Amritraj: I have said this before on many occasions, I think that these three players are the best to have ever played the game of tennis. The incredible thing is that all of them are playing at the same time, which very rarely happens. These three have also been ruling the game for a long period of time, which is even more astounding. So if each of them had played in different generations, all three of them could have been considered the 'GOATs'. So we have been blessed to witness these three compete against each other at the highest level in the same era. The quality of tennis on the show by these men has been nothing short of extraordinary. That's what makes the rivalry so special. DSD: Think of it Vijay a decade ago Federer's claims to be the GOAT would have been uncontested. Today we have a major battle on. In your book do titles only decide ultimately who will be the greatest of all time? Vijay Amritraj: Those debates are best left for days when you are sitting with your friends over a bottle of wine. As to who among the men and women has the right to call themselves the greatest of all time, since the Open era, we have been fortunate enough to have witnessed a number of great champions in the sport. I have also been lucky to play against some of them in my career. The 2019 Wimbledon was the 50th consecutive year that I was involved with the event in some form. When you look back, Rod Laver is the only player to achieve a Grand Slam (winning all the majors in a year) twice in his career. That record has stood the test of time since 1969. It has been 50 years since anyone has won a calendar slam. When you see the big 3 playing, you could argue that all of them have a case for being the greatest of all time. In the women's game as well we have seen legendary players, be it Margaret Court or Billie Jean King, who has 20 Wimbledon titles to her name. Steffi Graff is the only player to complete a Golden Slam, which she did in 1988. Serena Williams is on the brink of history with her 23 grand slam single's titles and Martina Navratilova won so many grand slams that she has to be considered as well. We have seen great champions in this sport, but we can never compare different generations. DSD: You, of course, played across two or three really competitive eras yourself, when you started out you still had Rod Laver, Ken Rosewall and John Newcombe active, how do those three compare to the current big 3? Vijay Amritraj: My claim to fame was beating Rod Laver at the US Open in 1973. In those days it was mandatory to have a good serve and volley game to be successful on most courts, that's what the Australians of the late 60s and 70s thrived on. If you look at the game today, it has completely changed. At Wimbledon these days, the baseline after the match is completely chewed up, whereas the net is in pristine condition. So the change in the style of play has led to the success of the Europeans, from a time when the sport was dominated by the Australians and Americans. DSD: That generation was fading and then Borg, Jimmy Connors and later John McEnroe made a memorable rivalry... Vijay Amritraj: Every generation seems to throw up these great champions and Bjorn borg, Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe were certainly the greatest players of my generation in the 70s and 80s. I actually beat all three of them and there were a bunch of players, including myself, who were right on their heels. But there was no doubting the quality of Borg and co. Borg won six French Open titles and five Wimbledon crowns which is an incredible achievement as Wimbledon was the only grass event he played. The difference between the grass clay courts in those days was immense, which make borg's accomplishments even more impressive. Since then the courts have also completely changed. I predicted that Nadal would win Wimbledon before Federer would win the French Open and that's exactly how it turned out. The only occasion Federer won the french open was when Nadal lost to Robin Soderling. There were some great players in the late 80s and early 90s as well. Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg had an intense rivalry and that led into the Pete Sampras- Andre Agassi era, the American duo played out some spectacular matches. However, what stands out about the current big 3 is their consistency and longevity. DSD: You, of course, beat all of them and there aren't many Indian tennis players who can say I beat the best in the world when they were at their peak. Vijay Amritraj: I take great pride in the fact that I was able to beat the best in the world and play for my country at the highest level. I still feel I am representing my country in some capacity. When I played back in the day, the tricolour was hoisted because I was playing, so that filled me with a great sense of pride. As you got to the later round of the tournaments, the Indians would come out and support me in great numbers no matter where I was competing. That is something that motivated me to give my absolute all on the tour. When I beat the best players of my era, it was so special to me because it was so special to the people of my country. DSD: When you look back on your career Vijay, of course, you were equally adept at singles and doubles but there were 2 Davis Cup finals as well for India. 1974 where we didn’t play and then 1987. Akhtar Ali once told me that not playing the 1974 final was heartbreaking for you. Is that the biggest regret of your career? Vijay Amritraj: From an athlete's perspective, you cannot win it unless you're in it. So if you look at it from that perspective, it was certainly a missed opportunity. We were not given the chance to put India's name on the Davis Cup. In 1974, neither Australia nor the USA, who were the best two teams in the world at the time, were in the final. So I felt that we had a good chance of winning the Davis Cup. Whereas in 1987, we were massive underdogs and we lost comprehensively to Sweden, but it was a great effort from our side to reach the final, beating Australia in the semis. I was captain at the time and there was great camaraderie within the squad. Looking back at my career, I can proudly say that I was part of the Indian side that reached two Davis Cup finals. DSD: So where did Indian tennis go wrong, Vijay? We had icons like Ramanathan Krishnan, then you then came Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi and then Sania Mirza. Yet the cupboard today is bare. A singles grand slam champion is a long way off. Vijay Amritraj: Yes, I agree with your assessment. Something has gone wrong along the way. When I played the game, it took me a long time to be able to convince people in India that tennis could be a profession. In fact, my whole career I made an attempt to make it possible for people in India to pursue tennis as a career. However, in India, that mindset never existed and it takes time for it to change. There is no greater risk in your professional career than choosing to pursue a sport. So, usually, people in India are scared to take major risks when it comes to sport. You have to look at sport in India as a start-up, people have to be ready to invest their time and money in a wide array of talent, only then will we reap the benefits. DSD: We will have to rebuild, a bit like rebuilding India. You do a lot of work here with your foundation Vijay and we have a long road ahead don’t we to get the economy back on track? Vijay Amritraj: Livelihoods have been adversely affected. This crisis is a worldwide phenomenon. It is not restricted to just India or the USA. We now have to be resilient as a society to get through tough times like these. Our leaders have to inspire millions and lead us to the light at the end of the tunnel. We have to be able to lean on each other for support and be compassionate. We must show unity while being away from each other. This is a truly unprecedented crisis, only those who lived through world war two could have gone through something remotely like the situation we find ourselves in. Today, we as a species have to come together more than ever before. DSD: Another famous son of Chennai, Viswanathan Anand told me some time back that the word was too fast and the virus took advantage. What are the lessons we all have to take on board from this unprecedented tragedy... Vijay Amritraj: I think we must learn to serve those around us, whether it be our family, friends or community. Our attitude towards life must change and we must be more magnanimous. Our strength lies in our unity and health, so we must first take care of ourselves ad then try to help out as many people as we can. This pandemic also shows us how truly global the world is. The virus doesn't see nationality, financial status, caste or creed. Everyone is equally susceptible to the disease. We must stand together as one human race in the face of the virus.

Exclusive: 'Travel restrictions make things difficult for US Open organisers' - Vijay Amritraj on tennis post-lockdown and more

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