All Indian Tennis Association will stick to their decision about Bhupathi-Paes – Tennis News
All Indian Tennis Association is not going to change its decision about sending one team in men’s doubles category of London Olympics; the team of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi. Bhupathi who broke up with Paes at the end of
the last season to team up with Rohan Bopanna for the preparation of London Olympics sees himself in a lot of tension and publicly announced that he will not accept the decision of the AITA. He wanted to play with Bopanna but the decision of AITA is intact
so far.
Bhupathi is told to put up a mature show and keep the country’s interest in front of his eyes instead of personal gains. Anil Khanna, the AITA President, has cleared the air by confirming the final decision about Bhupathi-Paes
team and states that he will not change it no matter what anyone thinks. It is in the best favour of Indian to send one strong team instead of two weak ones.
Khanna stated, “Both (Bhupathi and Bopanna) have to realise that the nation comes much before commitment to each other.” He further added that if Bhupathi thinks that he will be able to change the decision of the association with
pressure then he is mistaken because the decision is final. He added, "It will have to be Leander and Mahesh. Olympics is a different ball game and tougher than a Grand Slam and wealth of experience that the duo has would keep them in good stead in crunch
and pressure situation. We have to send medal winning team.”
It is going to be a fierce battle between the players and the association until the final list is send to the officials of Olympics. It’s a sad day in the history of Asian tennis because already there are few players that contest
regularly at elite platforms and increasing tension amongst them will never help the cause of the sport.
No one would like to see their future destroyed like Bopanna who wanted to be an Olympian and had an opportunity this year. Aisam-ul-Haq has already failed to qualify for the Olympics so only one doubles team from the sub-continent
is a bit of a let off for the supporters as well as stars.
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