‘Paes-Bhupathi not hot enough for Olympics’

Q: How do you find the health of Indian tennis today?

A: When we talk of Indian tennis in the Leander and Bhupathi context. I’m happy they have done extremely well for the country in the past. They have won several doubles titles for the country and made us proud. But at the moment they are playing against each other instead of playing together. It certainly makes me feel sad. They have (constant splits) lost three, fours years of the game, where their combined effort could have fetched more laurels for the country. The fact they have not been playing together means that India’s chances are not bright at the Athens Olympics. They know that they are ageing and that things will not be easy. At the same time if they win, I will be the happiest man and will join them in their celebrations.

Q: What do you think is the reason for their constant splits?

A: Well since there is a generation-gap between me and the duo I cannot really figure out what there problems could be. I cannot really figure out reasons for their split.

Q: Despite the absence of infrastructure facilities that are available now, how did you manage to excel at the highest level in your time?

A: I think our generation had more ‘fire in the belly’. In those days, the opportunities were less. So the drive to excel was high and kept us going.

Q: Tennis players of today have all the facilities (gym, coach, dietician, yoga) to develop as a world class player. Yet we do not find a player of your class, Ramesh or Amritraj brothers. Why?

A: No, I do not see any player in the near future excel at the level you have mentioned, for the simple reason you need lot of money to play in European circuits and improve your game. The other day I was talking to Rohan Bopanna’s father, I asked him what tournament his son was going to play next. He was not sure for he had less funds to send his son abroad.