▁Hels ink i ▁Olympics . ▁Pa es ▁c ited ▁the ▁match ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁his ▁greatest ▁performances , ▁in ▁part ▁because ▁his ▁w rist ▁was ▁sever ely ▁injured . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁highest ▁sport ing ▁honor ▁by ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁India , ▁the ▁Raj iv ▁Gand hi ▁K hel ▁Rat na ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁His ▁first ▁successful ▁year ▁in ▁the ▁ATP ▁circuit ▁came ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁when ▁he ▁partner ed ▁with ▁S éb ast ien ▁L are au ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁US ▁Open ▁doubles ▁semif inal . ▁After ▁a ▁moder ate ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁he ▁reached ▁the ▁quarter - final s ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁Australian ▁Open ▁doubles ▁with ▁Kevin ▁Ul ly ett . ▁From ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁he ▁partner ed ▁with ▁fellow - Ind ian ▁Mah esh ▁Bh up ath i . ▁Their ▁first ▁year ▁was ▁not ▁successful , ▁especially ▁in ▁the ▁Grand ▁Sl ams , ▁reaching ▁the ▁round ▁of ▁ 3 2 ▁only ▁at ▁W im ble don . ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁proved ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁much ▁better ▁year ▁for ▁the ▁team , ▁reaching ▁the ▁US ▁Open ▁semif inals . ▁Pa es ▁clim bed ▁the ▁doubles ▁ranking ▁from ▁no . ▁ 8 9 ▁at ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁to ▁no . ▁ 1 4 ▁at ▁year ▁end . ▁That ▁year ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁best ▁singles ▁performance ▁in ▁a ▁Grand ▁S lam , ▁losing ▁in ▁the ▁third ▁round