Indo-Asian News Service
Kolkata, Dec 23: Tennis ace Leander Paes said Wednesday that if he partners Rohan Bopanna in the men’s doubles event in the Rio Olympics next year, they will have the best chance of grabbing a medal. Paes also stated that a doubles medal (men’s or mixed) is on his mind as he has already won the singles bronze in 1996.
“Pretty obvious in the men’s doubles that Rohan and myself have the best chance of going out there and winning a medal. Rohan has been playing some wonderful tennis, he has been playing with (Florin) Mergea and has done well. So together we have the potential to win a medal,” Paes told reporters here. “I had wanted to play with him in London also. In the grass courts it was a great platform for us to do well.”
Four years back in London, Paes had to partner Vishnu Vardhan and they lost in the second round. He then combined with Sania Mirza but bowed out to the eventual mixed doubles champions Victoria Azarenka and Max Mirnyi of Belarus.
The 42-year-old also asserted that on current form he and Mirza should represent the country in mixed doubles. “We have a good understanding, so on form we should be playing. But then you can’t really comment on the selection issue after what happened prior to the London Olympics,” asserted Paes.
Both Mahesh Bhupathi and Bopanna refused to play doubles with Paes, after which the national tennis federation persuaded Sania Mirza to play with the veteran Kolkatan. And Paes paired up with lowly-ranked Vardhan (then World No 209).
The nine-time mixed doubles Grand Slam winner said he is focussing on the event more as he has been successful in it in the last few years.
“For Rio I have focussed a lot on mixed doubles, I have been focussed on the Grand Slams as mixed doubles is only played in four Grand Slams. And having a wonderful partner in Martina Hingis has allowed me to do that. Winning three of the four Grand Slams leading into the Olympics, it’s pretty obvious where my focus is,” he said.
