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Feuding tennis duo put their differences aside for Olympics

India’s estranged doubles pairing of Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes on Tuesday decided to put aside their differences and play together in the Beijing Olympics.

“Yes, I will play with Leander in the Olympics,” Bhupathi said by phone from Paris, where he is taking part in the French Open.

The duo, who sorted out their differences in a meeting on Monday, will also turn out in a couple of tournaments on the ATP circuit ahead of the August Games.

The unexpected turnaround came less than a month after Bhupathi publicly said he would partner Rohan Bopanna at the Olympics instead of Paes.

“I’d like to play the Olympics for two reasons, winning for India and enjoying the experience,” Bhupathi had told local media. “I don’t think either will happen playing with Leander without preparation. We are not magicians. A medal will not happen just because we step on court.”

Paes and Bhupathi won three Grand Slam doubles titles in 1999 before parting ways a year later. The pair have since come together for the Davis Cup and the Asian Games.

Bhupathi had last month written to the All India Tennis Association (AITA) saying that he did not believe a tie-up with Paes was possible.

“There has been absolutely no communication between Leander and myself since the 2006 Doha Asian Games, even though I have reached out at various times through different avenues,” he wrote in the letter to the AITA.

“The field is stronger than four years ago and just going to the Olympics for the sake of it, and not making the most of it by putting all that is required to win does not interest me at this stage of my career,” he said.

AITA secretary Anil Khanna had said he would do everything to ensure the pair played together in Beijing.

“Leander and Mahesh, being true patriots and professionals, have agreed to put in their best effort by pairing up for Beijing Olympics to win a medal for the country,” Khanna said in a statement.
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