June 21, 2012 9:12 PM

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London Olympics: AITA to send 2 teams for Men's Doubles event

After days of bitter wrangling over India's tennis representation at next month's London Olympics, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) today worked out a compromise formula. As per the formula announced barely hours before the deadline for sending entries expired, the AITA will send two teams for the Men's Doubles event.Mahesh Bhupathi will partner Rohan Bopanna, while Leander Paes will pair with lower-ranked Vishnu Vardhan despite his protestations.Paes, country's number one player, has however, been compensated by being named for the mixed doubles along withSania Mirza, thereby turning Bhupathi's desire to play alongside her. India will now take part in at least three tennis events provided Sania gets a wild card entry which is expected. Wild cards will be announced by the ITF on June 28.There was no immediate reaction from Paes, who had threatened to boycott the Olympics, if he was paired with a junior. Vardhan is ranked 206. AITA conceded that its decision was "not fair" in all respects but was in the "best interest of the nation".AITA came out in wholesome praise of Paes by describing him as most patriotic player and appealed to him to partner Vardhan.

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