Bhupathi and Bopanna: is it on or is it off?

  • Added:
    Mar 25, 2013
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Bhupathi and Bopanna: is it on or is it off? Photo by Ram Kausik

Ace shuttlers- Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna have a very weird relationship. Their relationship dynamic is that of a fickle couple who keep changing their minds every now and then. One instance they are together, thick as thieves and the next instant they are heading for splits Ville. Not sure as to whether it is personal ego or professional incompatibility that has driven a wedge between the two players who were once good enough to win couple of titles together, but whatever maybe the reason, the tennis duo has cited something similar to the marital default- irreconcilable differences and split like two pins at the end of the bowling lane. When you think about it is actually sad, because the two were really good together.

They first came together in their mutual decision to not play with Leander Paes in the Men’s double event at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. They decided to team and compete in the Olympics games after which the All India Tennis association agreed to their demands and sent two separate teams to participate in the same event ata the Olympics: Bhupathi- Rohan Bopanna team and Paes-Vishnu Vardhan team. Following this there was a minor disagreement between that duo and the AITA. The AITA in a measure to take disciplinary action against the two, decide to make an example out of them by banning them for two whole years.

In the beginning of November 2012, Bhupathi and Bopanna won the Paris Masters cup. There was scope for another title to be added to Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna profile at the  ATP Tour Finals but they suffered crushing blow at the hands of Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez., but not before they beat their mutual nemesis Leander Paes Radek Stepanek at the semifinals via Super tie-breaker. At the wake of this disastrous turn of events, Bopanna and Bhupathi decided to split ways before the next ATP season.

The recent news is that Mahesh Bhupathi with Rohan Bopanna have both advanced to the second round of the Australian Open along with their respective partners. On one hand there is the chance that their rivalry might clash at full throttle, but whoever wins, India has double the reason to cheer. Bopanna is tagged with American tennis player, Rajeev Ram and together they beat  Australian pair- Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios in their first round while Bhupathi  Canadian Daniel Nestor defeated the Spanish duo of Pablo Andujar and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

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For more information about Rohan Bopanna, Rohan Bopanna profile and Mahesh Bhupathi. Please visit the official website.


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