In the Name of the Game—Nathan’s Blog

Written by: Staff on 8th December 2011

In the Name of the Game—Nathan’s Blog |

By: Nathan M. Cuny

The split of IndoPak Express isn’t all bad news even though it undoubtedly pained many IndoPak Express fans. Similarly many Indian Express fans were equally pained after the team made their first comeback after ten years and then split again. What’s with all this division? It’s the Olympics.

Only the best of the best get to play the Olympics and all four men, Rohan Bopanna, Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, Mahesh Bhupathi, and Leander Paes want their shot at it. Many fans believed IndoPak Express and Indian Express split out of bitterness but in truth it was all out of respect for the sport, and derived from professionalism.

Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi completely refuted all accusations that there was a grudge between him and Bopanna. In fact, it wasn’t a grudge but the bonds of friendship that led to their split. Rohan Bopanna wants to play for India in the 2012 Olympic Games and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi wants to honor Pakistan in the games as well. Discussing the matter Qureshi stated, “We want to cement our places in the Olympic Games and have decided to play with new partners in the doubles. It ended on a good note and we will continue to be good friends and ambassadors of peace. I have invited him to my wedding and he has promised to attend.”

With the good news of Qureshi’s wedding in December (sorry ladies), the great year he and Bopanna had finishing with four titles: Halle, Bangkok, Stockholm, and the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Paris; as well as finishing as the doubles World No.5 team there’s no doubt as why he and Bopanna are ending their year and partnership on such a good note.

Here’s the truth on all the rumors of fallout between Bhupathi and Paes—there was no fallout and it was Paes’ idea. Bhupathi reiterated Leander Paes’ sentiments, “Leander felt that we were possibly a little too old on the circuit. We were not able to gel and needed younger legs on either side. There is no fall out. Paes has an opinion and I had to respect that as a professional.”

With the Olympics as the goal who’s to say Paes is wrong in his opinion. He’s the third Indian to make five appearances at the Olympic Games, dating from 1992 to 2008. That’s not even counting the bronze medal Paes won in 1996, or how close he came close to a second bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games where he lost during the playoffs.

Sania Mirza, the No.11 women’s Indian doubles player even had her own opinion on the topic, “The fact is that Leander and Mahesh have played in the Olympics three times or four times and fallen short. The fact is that they might be the most experienced pair but they have come short. This is Mahesh’s view as well honestly.” The Olympic Games are a big deal, and I’m sure if any one of us were in Bhupathi, Paes, Bopanna, or Qureshi’s shoes we’d do the same.

Topics: Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna