Hesh, Paes urged to step up Beijing preparations

The AITA has urged feuding Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi to play together on the tour to prepare for Beijing.

Indian tennis authorities have urged feuding men’s doubles pair Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi to play together on the tour to prepare for the Beijing Olympics.

“The members unanimously felt that Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi will be a formidable challenge and are a definite hope for a medal,” the All India Tennis Association (AITA) said in a statement.

“It was felt that both Leander and Mahesh should play some tour events together for preparation.”

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The estranged pair, in their 30s and winners of three grand slam titles together, will get a final chance to win an Olympics medal as a pair and make amends for their bronze medal playoff defeat at the 2004 Athens Games.

They won the title at the 2006 Asian Games but vowed never to team up again for personal reasons. They then agreed to come together for one last time.

Those hopes dipped again, however, after Bhupathi backed a revolt against Davis Cup playing captain Paes last month by younger team mates Rohan Bopanna and Prakash Amritraj, who have threatened a boycott unless he is replaced.

AITA backed Cup stalwart Paes by postponing any decision at its executive meeting on Friday, although the issue could flare up before next month’s zonal Cup tie against Japan.

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The pair have not played together on the tour this season.

Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of Bahamas won the title at Memphis last week. Paes, who won a singles bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Games, plans to partner Australian Paul Hanley this season.