Bopanna and Paes can either aim darts at each other or play tennis to win.

Rohan Bopanna is a big Manchester United fan. He would know how Andy Cole and Teddy Sheringham detested each other for 15 years, but got the job of scoring goals done. There were delicious slights that went back and forth and all the offence of the world taken, but there was also the silverware — a Champions League trophy, three league titles and an FA Cup — when all the mutual sniping was done. In tennis, there were Boris Becker and Michael Stich who haven’t quite come around to maturely sitting down over a bottle of wine and talking about just where things went wrong between them. But they have the shared doubles gold from the Barcelona Olympics, should they need an ice-breaker.

Hatchets need to be buried, and not always in each other’s backs, and Rohan Bopanna who finally graciously accepted the selectors’ pairing of him with Paes, can look back at those two precedents to realise that deep personal mistrust needn’t meddle with medals. Neither Paes’ 18 Grand Slams nor Bopanna’s 0 (though he has a final at the US Open) have added up to an Olympic doubles medal. Come to think of it, neither did Mahesh Bhupathi’s 15 and Sania Mirza’s 10 have any bearing on the quadrennial doubles podium. But since both Paes and Bopanna would like that medal very much, they could do each other the favour of playing excellent tennis, never mind the personal animus. A medal should be the highest motivation, and if it takes clearing the air with an incompatible partner, then Bopanna’s task is cut out, and clear.

There’s a lifetime ahead to snipe at each other — just ask Stich and Becker. But should they win an Olympic medal, people will at least be interested in watching the two greats throw darts at each other. Otherwise, in the Olympic scheme of things, doubles tennis will remain irrelevant.

source: http://www.indianexpress.com / The Indian Express / Home> Opinion> Editorial / by Express News Service / June 14th, 2016

Rohan Bopanna is happy that he is able to strike a winning form in the run up to the Grand Slams. Even though he has been defending points comfortably, the 36-year-old is keen to ride on the momentum and get into the top-10 of doubles to ensure an Indian entry for the Olympics.

It may be difficult to visualise, but Bopanna is practical that with his current rank of 13 and Leander Paes’s 54, it may not be possible to guarantee an Indian entry in doubles for the Rio Games.

“The cut-off for the London Olympics was 68,” recalled Bopanna, as he used the break from tennis owing to wet weather in Rome, for a brief chat, before his doubles semifinals, in partnership with Florin Mergea of Romania.

“We have been winning some close matches. It is good to get some confidence back. Most of the matches are decided on two or three points. The key is to string together four or five matches,” said Bopanna, sensing that he was getting close to winning a Grand Slam title.

“Winning a Grand Slam is not easy. So many different players are playing these days. In fact, very few top players are not playing doubles,” Bopanna observed.

This being the Olympic year, it is only natural that Bopanna finds a lot of players including Rafael Nadal and Fernando Verdasco playing doubles in the professional circuit, in the Masters events, in particular.

“Even if I want to play doubles with Leander, we can’t get into the big events with our rank. Getting an entry in the ATP-500 events itself would be difficult,” said Bopanna. What about playing mixed doubles with Sania Mirza in the two Grand Slams before the Olympics, as possible preparation for the big stage, even though there may be a fight for her hand.

Yet to decide on partner

“I know that Sania is tied up for French Open mixed already. I am yet to finalise my partner. After French Open, if she is not fixed up with another partner, we may play together. I believe in a systematic approach. The main aim is to be in the top-10, and then take it from there,” he said.

Thus, Bopanna is not even interested to think about whom he would prefer as his partner, if he makes it to top-10 on June 6.

“Of course, I know that I can play with anyone who has a rank, Leander, Saketh, Yuki, if I am in the top-10. But it is not right to think that far now. Actually, I heard that for the next Olympics, the ITF is trying to restrict the partner’s rank to top-300. I also know that there are no wildcards this time in tennis.”

Bopanna said he was not thinking about the results or defending points.

“Basically, I am enjoying good tennis. I don’t think too much about other things,” concluded Bopanna.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Sport / by Kamesh Srinivasan / New Delhi – May 15th, 2016