Vijay Amritraj (born 14 December 1953) is an Indian sports commentator, actor and retired professional tennis player from Madras.[2][3][4][5] He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's 4th highest civilian honour, in 1983.[6][7]In 2022, he was honored for his contributions to tennis in London by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and International Tennis Federation.[8]
![]() | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. (August 2022) |
![]() Amritraj in 2017 | |
Country (sports) | ![]() |
---|---|
Born | (1953-12-14) 14 December 1953 (age 68) Madras, Tamil Nadu, India |
Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) |
Turned pro | 1970 |
Retired | 1993 |
Plays | Right-handed (one-handed backhand) |
Prize money | $1,331,913 |
Singles | |
Career record | 399–308[1] |
Career titles | 15 |
Highest ranking | No. 18 (7 July 1980) |
Grand Slam singles results | |
Australian Open | 2R (1984) |
French Open | 3R (1974) |
Wimbledon | QF (1973, 1981) |
US Open | QF (1973, 1974) |
Other tournaments | |
WCT Finals | SF (1982) |
Doubles | |
Career record | 264–218 |
Career titles | 14 |
Highest ranking | No. 23 (24 March 1980) |
Grand Slam doubles results | |
Wimbledon | SF (1976) |
US Open | QF (1973, 1976) |
Team competitions | |
Davis Cup | F (1974, 1987) |
Vijay was born in Madras,[9] India to Maggie Dhairyam and Robert Amritraj.[10][11] He has two brothers, Anand Amritraj and Ashok Amritraj, who were also international tennis players.[12]
After playing his first Grand Prix event in 1970, Amritraj achieved his first success in singles in 1973 when he reached the quarterfinals at two Grand Slam events.[citation needed] At Wimbledon, he lost in five sets to the eventual champion Jan Kodeš and later that summer at the US Open, lost to Ken Rosewall after having beaten Rod Laver two rounds earlier.[citation needed]
Amritraj beat Björn Borg in the second round in the US Open in 1974 before losing to Rosewall in quarterfinals.[citation needed] In 1979, he lost in the second round of Wimbledon to defending champion Borg after being up two sets to one and leading 4–1 in the fourth set.[citation needed] He reached his career-high ranking in singles of world No. 16 in July 1980. In 1981, he reached the quarterfinals of Wimbledon before losing in five sets to Jimmy Connors after being up 2–0.[citation needed] He beat John McEnroe in the first round of Cincinnati Masters in 1984. Overall, he had five career wins over Jimmy Connors in their eleven matches.[citation needed]
Amritraj was part of the India Davis Cup team that reached the finals in 1974 and 1987.[citation needed] Amritraj had a career singles win–loss record 384–296, winning 16 singles and 13 doubles titles.[citation needed]
Amritraj has also pursued an acting career. His best known role is probably as the MI6 intelligence operative Vijay in the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy.[13] He also appeared briefly in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) as an unnamed starship captain.[citation needed]
He was also a regular character in the NBC TV series The Last Precinct and the Yakov Smirnoff comedy What a Country, as well as a guest star on various television shows such as Hart to Hart.[citation needed] He has since gone on to become a sports commentator, has been a judge at the Miss Universe pageant and has developed a multimedia business. Amritraj also hosts a talk show named Dimensions with Vijay Amritraj broadcast on CNN-IBN.[citation needed]
Amritraj lives in Southern California with his wife Shymala, and sons Prakash Amritraj and Vikram.[14][15][16]
His son Prakash and nephew Stephen Amritraj are also professional tennis players.[citation needed] On 9 February 2001, Vijay was appointed a United Nations ambassador for peace. He has been raising awareness on the issues of drugs and HIV/AIDS and has raised funds to fight the spread of AIDS worldwide.[17] Vijay Amritraj founded The Vijay Amritraj Foundation in 2006.[18][19]
Film | |||
---|---|---|---|
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
1983 | Octopussy | Vijay | |
1985 | Nine Deaths of the Ninja | Rankin | |
1986 | Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home | Starship Captain Joel Randolph | |
2015 | Of God and Kings | Duke Bora Swain |
Legend |
---|
Grand Slam (0) |
ATP Masters Series (0) |
ATP Tour (12) |
Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Opponent | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 1–0 | Jul 1973 | Bretton Woods, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 2–6, 7–5 |
Loss | 1–1 | Aug 1973 | South Orange, U.S. | Grass | ![]() |
4–6, 7–6, 4–6 |
Win | 2–1 | Oct 1973 | New Delhi, India | Grass | ![]() |
6–4, 5–7, 8–9, 6–3, 11–9 |
Loss | 2–2 | Mar 1974 | Tempe, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
1–6, 2–6 |
Win | 3–2 | Apr 1974 | Washington D.C., U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 4–2 | Jun 1974 | Beckenham, England | Grass | ![]() |
6–7, 6–2, 6–4 |
Win | 5–2 | Aug 1975 | Columbus, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
6–4, 7–5 |
Win | 6–2 | Nov 1975 | Calcutta, India | Clay | ![]() |
7–5, 6–3 |
Win | 7–2 | Mar 1976 | Memphis, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–2, 0–6, 6–0 |
Win | 8–2 | Sep 1976 | Newport, U.S. | Grass | ![]() |
6–3, 4–6, 6–3, 6–1 |
Win | 9–2 | Jan 1977 | Auckland, New Zealand | Grass | ![]() |
7–6, 5–7, 6–1, 6–2 |
Win | 10–2 | Nov 1977 | Bombay, India | Clay | ![]() |
7–6, 6–4 |
Win | 11–2 | Sep 1978 | Mexico City, Mexico | Clay | ![]() |
6–4, 6–4 |
Loss | 11–3 | Oct 1978 | Cologne, Germany | Hard (i) | ![]() |
2–6, 1–0 ret. |
Win | 12–3 | Nov 1979 | Bombay, India | Clay | ![]() |
6–1, 7–5 |
Loss | 12–4 | Feb 1980 | WCT Invitational, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
5–7, 1–6, 3–6 |
Loss | 12–5 | Mar 1980 | Milan, Italy | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
2–6, 4–6 |
Win | 13–5 | Jul 1980 | Newport, U.S. | Grass | ![]() |
6–1, 5–7, 6–3 |
Win | 14–5 | Nov 1980 | Bangkok, Thailand | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
6–3, 7–5 |
Loss | 14–6 | Dec 1980 | WCT Challenge Cup, Canada | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
1–6, 6–2, 1–6 |
Loss | 14–7 | Aug 1983 | Stowe, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
6–3, 2–6, 5–7 |
Win | 15–7 | May 1984 | Spring, U.S. | Hard (i) | ![]() |
7–5, 4–6 7–6 |
Win | 16–7 | Jul 1984 | Newport, U.S. | Grass | ![]() |
3–6, 6–4, 6–4 |
Win | 17–7 | Jun 1986 | Bristol, England | Grass | ![]() |
7–6, 1–6, 8–6 |
Win | 18–7 | Aug 1988 | New Haven, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
6–3, 6–1 |
Result | W/L | Date | Tournament | Surface | Partner | Opponents | Score |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–1 | Oct 1973 | New Delhi, India | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 4–6 | |
Win | 1–1 | Nov 1974 | Bombay, India | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–6 |
Loss | 1–2 | Aug 1974 | South Orange, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 7–6, 6–7 |
Win | 2–2 | Aug 1974 | Columbus, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
|
Loss | 2–3 | Feb 1975 | Toronto, Canada | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 5–7, 1–6 |
Loss | 2–4 | Mar 1975 | Washington D.C., U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–75, 3–6 |
Win | 3–4 | Mar 1975 | Atlanta, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–2 |
Loss | 3–5 | Aug 1975 | Louisville, U.S. | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
|
Win | 4–5 | Sep 1975 | Los Angeles, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 4–6, 6–4 |
Loss | 4–6 | Nov 1975 | Calcutta, India | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–1, 4–6, 3–6 |
Win | 5–6 | Mar 1976 | Memphis, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 5–7 | Mar 1977 | St. Louis, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 6–3, 6–76 |
Loss | 5–8 | Mar 1977 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 4–6 |
Win | 6–8 | May 1977 | Masters Doubles WCT, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
7–6, 7–6, 4–6, 6–3 |
Win | 7–8 | Jun 1977 | London, England | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–1, 6–2 |
Win | 8–8 | Sep 1978 | Mexico City, Mexico | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 7–5 |
Loss | 8–9 | Apr 1979 | Cairo, Egypt | Clay | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
5–7, 4–6 |
Loss | 8–10 | Jul 1979 | Louisville, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
2–6, 6–1, 1–6 |
Loss | 8–11 | Oct 1979 | Sydney, Australia | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
|
Win | 9–11 | Mar 1980 | Rotterdam, Netherlands | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–4, 6–3 |
Win | 10–11 | Mar 1980 | Frankfurt, Germany | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–7, 6–2, 6–2 |
Loss | 10–12 | Aug 1981 | Columbus, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 1–6 |
Loss | 10–13 | Nov 1982 | Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
5–7, 2–6 |
Win | 11–13 | Nov 1982 | Chicago, U.S. | Carpet (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
3–6, 6–3, 6–3 |
Win | 12–13 | Feb 1983 | Kuwait City, Kuwait | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 3–6, 6–2 |
Win | 13–13 | Jul 1983 | Newport, U.S. | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–4 |
Loss | 13–14 | Aug 1983 | Columbus, U.S. | Hard | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
1–6, 6–4, 6–7 |
Loss | 13–15 | Oct 1984 | Stockholm, Sweden | Hard (i) | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
6–3, 6–7, 4–6 |
Win | 14–15 | Jul 1986 | Newport, U.S. | Grass | ![]() |
![]() ![]() |
4–6, 7–5, 7–6 |
Awards | ||
---|---|---|
First | ATP Most Improved Player 1973 |
Succeeded by |
General | |
---|---|
National libraries | |
Other |
Recipients of Padma Shri in Sports | |
---|---|
1950s |
|
1960s |
|
1970s |
|
1980s |
|
1990s |
|
2000s |
|
2010s |
|
2020s |
|