Great Indian tennis rift: Why are players reluctant to be paired with Paes?

Indian tennis is back to square one ahead of the Rio Olympics, as it is being haunted by the divisions that had undermined the country’s campaign at the 2012 Games.

Despite Rohan Bopanna’s reluctance to be paired with Leander Paes in doubles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the All India Tennis Federation (AITA) has foisted the veteran on the former.

While the federation gave in to Sania Mirza’s demand that she should not be paired with Paes in mixed doubles, it has rejected Bopanna’s choice in doubles, Saket Myneni. It must be mentioned that Bopanna had the right to choose his partner on account of his higher rank than Paes. Why is there so much resentment towards Paes and why is he so disliked among the tennis fraternity? We explore this great Indian tennis rift...

AITA’s diktat only confirms the worst kept secret of Indian tennis: Paes has few friends among players. The selection of the Indian team for Rio is eerily similar to the fiasco that had preceded the London Games. Paes is one of India’s most successful tennis players, but his rapport with teammates has always been a grey area. He had unseemly spats with Mahesh Bhupathi all along his career and neither does he see eye to eye with the younger crop.

The Paes-Bhupathi rift for unknown reasons came to the fore during the 2006 Doha Asian Games and the divisions have only deepened over the years with other players also being sucked in the quagmire. Earlier too, officials and former players alleged that Paes possessed a “selfish” nature  and the inclination of the AITA towards Paes has irked many.

In 2012, three players — Bopanna, Bhupathi and Sania — weren’t keen to partner Paes. Bopanna and Bhupathi linked up in the men’s competition and Paes’ consolation in London was that Sania was compelled to partner him in mixed doubles.

There had been allegations from officials and former players that Paes “always put self above team” and AITA invariably showed an inclination to side with him. A former India Davis Cupper, who knows both Paes and Bopanna well, says, “It is no surprise to me that Bopanna has refused to partner Paes. They never got along well. Even while playing the Davis Cup, they never had great chemistry.”

He added, “Leander never invested in youngsters, and AITA did not do anything to improve relations between the players and Lee.”

Paes will make a record seventh Olympic appearance, and has told the world that he and Sania have a “good chance” at Rio. But the Hyderabad woman has shut the door on him by sewing up a partnership with Bopanna at Rio. It was learnt that during an event in New Delhi, Paes and Sania avoided eye contact a couple of days ago. Onlookers claimed there was no exchange of pleasantries either.

When there is no understanding between Paes and Bopanna, one doesn’t know why AITA insisted on making them a pair. In other words, why should there be one rule for Sania and another for Bopanna? For the record, Bopanna has said he is “not comfortable playing with Paes”.

“I have much admiration for Leander Paes and his many achievements, but unfortunately we have not been able to put together a good combination despite our best efforts and I do not believe our style of play are either compatible or complementary,” said Bopanna, ranked 10th in the world.