With his participation in the Rio Olympics, which tennis player became the first in the world to appear in 7 Olympic Games?

Introduction / Context:
Longevity in professional sports is rare, especially at the physically demanding level required for the Olympic Games. In tennis, very few players manage to represent their country across multiple Olympic cycles. This question highlights a remarkable achievement: becoming the first tennis player in the world to appear in 7 Olympic Games. It focuses on an Indian legend who reached this milestone at the Rio Olympics.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The milestone is 7 Olympic appearances in tennis.
• The key event is the Rio Olympics, where the 7th appearance took place.
• Options include Martina Navratilova, Serena Williams, Leander Paes, and Roger Federer.
• We assume official Olympic participation records maintained by the International Tennis Federation and IOC.

Concept / Approach:
Leander Paes, an Indian tennis player, made his Olympic debut at Barcelona 1992 and then continued to appear in successive Games: 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and finally 2016 (Rio). This gave him an unmatched streak of 7 Olympic appearances in tennis. While Serena Williams and Roger Federer have had multiple Olympic appearances, they have not reached the number seven. Martina Navratilova did not compete in so many Olympic editions in the modern era. Therefore, the correct answer is Leander Paes.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: List prominent long-serving tennis players in the options and recall their Olympic journeys. Step 2: Associate Leander Paes with an unbroken series of Olympic appearances starting from 1992. Step 3: Count these appearances: Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016 – seven in total. Step 4: Recognise that no other player listed has matched this count in tennis. Step 5: Choose Leander Paes as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Olympic records and tennis history sources frequently highlight that Leander Paes became the first tennis player to appear in seven Olympic Games after qualifying for Rio 2016. This fact is also used in many GK questions and exam guides. Federer and Serena Williams, while legendary, have not reached seven Olympic appearances. Martina Navratilova's career predated regular tennis participation in multiple Olympic cycles in the way it is structured today.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Martina Navratilova: A legendary player but not associated with seven Olympic appearances.
• Serena Williams: Has multiple Olympic appearances and medals but fewer than seven Games.
• Roger Federer: An Olympic gold medallist in doubles and silver medallist in singles, but again without seven separate Olympic participations.

Common Pitfalls:
Because Serena Williams and Roger Federer are globally famous, some examinees intuitively pick them, assuming that the biggest star must hold every record. Another pitfall is not paying attention to the phrase “first in the world” and the specific number seven, which strongly points to longevity rather than peak success alone. Knowing the unique place of Leander Paes in Olympic tennis history is crucial.

Final Answer:
With his participation in the Rio Olympics, the first tennis player in the world to appear in 7 Olympic Games was Leander Paes.