# @behindtheracquet on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/CVJejqxAYfl
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/158825-behindtheracquet-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/4350326ac0.jpg
- **Posted:** 2021-10-17T23:24:55.000+00:00

## Caption

“My father won a medal in the 1972 Olympics in Munich, and he played field hockey. My mother on the other hand — captain of the Indian basketball team. Every Sunday, I used to wake up and polish my dad's Olympic medal. I wanted to play for India and represent 1.3 billion Indians to prove that we could be Olympic champions in an individual sport.

Tennis was my vehicle and if I wanted to get to the Olympics, I really had to persevere. In the summer of 1990, I won Junior Wimbledon. In 1990, I met another young Indian kid. I said to him, “Would you like to win Wimbledon?” He laughed at me and he said, "You're crazy." I said, "I know I'm crazy, but would you like to win Wimbledon or not?" He said, "Sure, teach me.” Nine years later, we won Wimbledon, and that's what Breakpoint is all about.

I realized that this journey that I’d embarked on with Mahesh was that we could actually be the best in the world. I gave up my singles career to prove to India that we could be the best in the world in doubles. What I love about what Mahesh and I have done, and we're so grateful to ZEE5 for giving us this platform to tell our story very truthfully, we were courageous enough to also show our weaknesses.

I think living the life of a student of my craft, you learn to handle triumph and defeat and treat those two impostors just the same. I think that people have to do their jobs and tell their version, make their history behind it. The fun for me in my life is about emulating my parents and becoming an Olympic champion. The greatest honor for me in my life, is to play for my flag, to play for the Tiranga and prove that Indians can be world leaders in any walk of life.

I'm very grateful to live the life I have. I'm very grateful to have opportunities to inspire people to be the best versions of themselves. I think that's what the world needs. It needs some great people to do some very simple and basic things but do them very frequently on a day-to-day level. I think that's how champions are born.” @leanderpaes #BTR

## Stats

- **Views:** 0
- **Likes:** 977
- **Shares:** 0
- **Comments:** 27

## Credits

These are the roles credited on Gondola. Credits may be incomplete.
A brand, account owner, or featured person is not necessarily the creator.

| Name | Username | Profile | Role |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Behind The Racquet | @BehindTRacquet | https://gondola.cc/BehindTRacquet | Brand |
| Sarah Campbell | @SarahCampbs | https://gondola.cc/SarahCampbs | Copywriter |

## Tags

btr

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