Playing a different ball game

Finally, a long drawn saga comes to an end. Various opinions were considered, innumerable meetings held, warnings given to players and AITA tried everything in its power to break the pairing of Bhupathi – Bopanna. However, it was these players who seem to have won the battle.

However, whether the best team has won or was Indian Tennis defeated might never be known. To start with, each side will present its story which favours itself. So, when we say Bhupathi – Bopanna were correct in not teaming up with Paes as they do not have any match practice and co-ordination with him, it makes sense. At the same time, when AITA said that the country should be kept in mind while selecting the team, it also made sense. So, how to decide who is right and who isn’t???

Maybe, this is one of those topics, wherein no clear winner may come out. Maybe, 20 years down the line, we would still be debating who was right. Maybe, everything would be forgotten if Bhupathi – Bopanna get GOLD for India. But, everything is just still a ‘MAYBE’.

In my personal opinion, I feel Bhupathi – Bopanna are on the right side of the line which indirectly means AITA is on the wrong side. Having myself played doubles before (although not professionally), I can assure you that it takes weeks and months of practice to get the right co-ordination going. It is practically impossible to come together a month before tournament and gel like a team for years. On that front, I feel Bopanna has every right to refuse partnering with Paes in the Olympics. Also, his decision is in the interest of the country. It would have been very easy for a player who is representing India for the first time to give into demands of AITA. However, he stuck to the tougher route and eventually got what he wanted.

As far as Bhupathi is concerned, many would say that he has already played with Paes on earlier occasions and would not need much time to gel. However, it is all the more a reason not to partner with him, since they have been partners before and unceremoniously broken off. One should always remember that this has been the best tennis pair ever to represent India. However, I just cannot see Bhupathi able to trust Paes off court or on court. This would be a perfect recipe for disaster given the long drawn saga in which Bhupathi had openly declared he does not want to partner Paes.

Also, Bhupathi – Paes have represented India on previous four occasions and every time have returned empty handed. And one should not undermine Bopanna. With his height and physique, he can always wreck havoc in doubles. He also has the requisite experience considering that the Indo-Pak pair of Bopanna-Quereshi lost in finals of the US Open. So this team does not deserve an outright rejection.

As a final thought, Sania Mirza should not be paired with Paes because individual ranking hardly matters in doubles. What is more important is the level of understanding and co-ordination the two players share. Sania Mirza and Bhupathi already have the French open to their name and have been champions before. Breaking their partnership and partnering Sania with Paes just to pacify his ego goes against the very stand of AITA of putting the country first.

The whole thing can blow off like a pack of cards if Paes wins gold. In that scenario, the ball would be totally in his court, media would be go gaga over him (which he would deserve considering the circumstances under which he would achieve gold) and Bhupathi – Bopanna would wish this to be just a horrible dream.

However, all said and done, these teams are going to represent India. It would be better for everyone especially Bhupathi, Bopanna, Paes and Mirza to forget all this and put their best foot forward. Hopefully, the long wait for the tennis medal would end this Olympics.

Just a brief history:

Paes is India’s number 1 ranked doubles player and ranked 7^th in the world because of which he gains direct entry into the Olympics. Also, he has the right to choose his own partner. However, AITA and Paes were in for a rude shock when both Bhupathi and Bopanna refused to partner Paes individually. Thus, Paes had an option of partnering either Vishnu Vardhan (207^th ranked) or Yuki Bhambri (306^th ranked) which he was reluctant to do despite the fact that in the year 1992, when he was a new kid on the block, he was taken to Olympics under the wings of Ramesh Krishnan. AITA wanted to partner Paes with Bhupathi or Bopanna as, according to them, only then India would have won the medal. However, Bhupathi – Bopanna have made this amply clear that they would be preferred to be selected as a team only and not individually, even if that meant, losing out on the Olympics.