9 8 5 , ▁where ▁he ▁was ▁co ached ▁by ▁Dave ▁O ' M ear a . ▁The ▁a cademy ▁played ▁a ▁key ▁role ▁in ▁his ▁early ▁development . ▁Le ander ▁earned ▁international ▁fame ▁when ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁W im ble don ▁Junior ▁title ▁and ▁rose ▁to ▁no . ▁ 1 ▁in ▁the ▁junior ▁world ▁rank ings ▁at ▁age ▁ 1 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Board ▁of ▁Direct ors ▁of ▁Olympic ▁Gold ▁Qu est , ▁a ▁foundation ▁co - f ounded ▁by ▁Ge et ▁S eth i ▁and ▁P rak ash ▁Pad uk one ▁to ▁support ▁tal ented ▁Indian ▁athlet es . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁Early ▁career ▁( 1 9 9 1 – 1 9 9 7 ) ▁ ▁Pa es ▁first ▁won ▁titles ▁at ▁the ▁Junior ▁US ▁Open ▁and ▁the ▁Junior ▁W im ble don ▁and ▁he ▁turned ▁professional ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 1 . ▁He ▁rose ▁to ▁number ▁ 1 ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁junior ▁rank ings . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁quarter ▁final s ▁of ▁the ▁doubles ▁event ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁Barcelona ▁Olympics ▁with ▁R ames h ▁Kr ish nan . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁Atlanta ▁Olympics ▁he ▁beat ▁Fernando ▁Mel igen i ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁bronze ▁medal , ▁the ▁first ▁Indian ▁to ▁win ▁an ▁individual ▁medal ▁since ▁K D ▁J ad hav ▁won ▁bronze ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 2