Vijay Amritraj is a former tennis player from India, sports commentator and actor. He was awarded the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian honor in 1983. He was born on 14 December 1953 in Madras, India. Vijay Amritraj achieved his first significant success in his career in tennis in 1973, when he made it to the quarter-finals at the two Grand Slam Men's Singles events. In 1973, he reached the quarterfinal of Wimbledon, but lost to eventual champion Jan Kodes, in a thrilling five-setter. The same year, in the U.S. Open, he lost the quarterfinal clash to tennis great Ken Rosewall after getting the better of Rod Laver in an earlier round. Amritraj repeated his feat in 1974, when he finished eighth after defeating Bjorn Borg in the second round at Forest Hills. In 1974, Vijay Amritraj teamed up with Shashi Menon, Jasjit Singh and brother Anand Amritraj, to take India to the Davis Cup final for the second time. However, India refused to play South Africa in protest of the racist regime prevailing there. Vijay reached his career-high ranking in July 1980, when he was ranked World No. 16 tennis player. In 1974, he received the Arjuna Award. In 1981, Vijay Amritraj again reached the quarterfinal of Wimbledon, but a spirited Jimmy Connors rallied from a two-set deficit, to get the better of the Indian great. Amritraj had an equally impressive Davis Cup record.