Sports Minister, Ajay Maken has questioned the All India Tennis Association (AITA)'s decision to pair feuding former partners Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi for the London Olympics. In his latest post on social networking site Twitter, Maken asked why just one team was being insisted upon for the event when India could send two. He said the hidden question was who should pair Sania Mirza and Maken wondered why the victorious Grand Slam mixed double pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza was being disturbed. It may be recalled that the estranged duo of Paes and Bhupathi have been declared AITA's picks for the Olympics even though Bhupathi has made it clear in no uncertain terms that he was not willing to team up with his former partner Leander Paes whom he blamed for backstabbing him by breaking up the partnership last season. Bhupathi with a top-10 ATP ranking, is entitled to pick a partner of his choice for the big event. Bhupathi, on the other hand, can make the draw as a team with his current partner Rohan Bopanna on the basis of their combined ranking. Bhupathi has insisted on being paired with Bopanna with whom he joined hands at the start of the season, specifically with Olympics in mind. Meanwhile, it is reported that even Rohan Bopanna has written to the AITA refusing to partner with Leander Paes.
News On AIR | June 18, 2012 5:34 PM
Ajay Maken questions AITA's decision to pair Paes, Bhupathi for London Olympics