The crisis in the Indian tennis team has further deepens as Tennis star Rohan Bopanna now refuses to partner with Leander Paes for the men’s doubles event of the London Olympics.
He said to AITA’s offer to pair with Paes.
Earlier, Mahesh Bhupathi refuses to partner with Paes, and now Bopanna’s stand has put All India Tennis Association in a serious situation. Meanwhile, the London Olympics is scheduled to start from next month.
Bopanna wrote to AITA, “I cannot combine with Paes although it is my dream to represent India in Olympics.”
He said in a press release, “With all respect and humility, I have been unable to accept AITA’s offer and have communicated my decision to them in writing this morning.”
Further, his statement said, “Since the beginning of the year, I have partnered with Mahesh Bhupathi towards playing together as at team at the Olympics. This was communicated to the AITA at every step and we were encouraged to continue to play together.”
It said, “Having played alongside Leander Paes only twice during my career, I recognise that as a team we are under-prepared for the demands of the Olympics and, in good faith, I could not accept AITA’s offer that we play together.”
He said, “I understand that many might find this decision difficult to comprehend. However, my professional integrity will not permit me to make this compromise. I owe this to the partners I have played with in the past, Mahesh Bhupathi who I currently play with and those I will partner in the future. I will still be able to look each of them in the eye.”
Bopanna’s press release said, “In October 2011, I broke up an extremely successful partnership with Aisam Qureshi as I believed that Olympics preparedness required hard work and understanding between partners and the numerous little adjustments that make a team work.”
It further said, “This was the toughest professional decision I have taken, as it signified an end to a great partnership and jeopardised a close friendship that was built over many years of struggle and, ultimately, success on the ATP Tour.”
