Cast your emotion aside as we sit down to take stock of the challenge that India’s tennis selectors will face in the next few days. They will have to decide on the men’s doubles team that will represent India at the Olympic Games in London. And they have three wonderful achievers in Leander Paes, Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi to choose from.
With only Leander Paes finding a place in the top 10 of the ATP doubles rankings now, dreams of two Indian pairs figuring in the draw have receded. But each of the three possible pairings is medal material and has the potential to be excitingly competent while delivering India that the Olympic men’s doubles medal that eluded Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi in four starts.
We must remember that the draw will play a big role in how long our London dreams last. Back in 2008, the Indian pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi came up against an inspired Stanislas Wawrinka and Roger Federer, who raised his game after a devastating quarterfinal exit in singles. Hopefully, whichever pair gets picked will have the motivation to do well and will have a great run, irrespective of who it faces on the way.
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