Olympic Tennis 7/28-8/5/2012

[Moose]

Paes had played with 86 different partners as of November 2009. I wonder what the count is up to now? (I see that he's paired with Kevin Anderson at Queen's.)

... oh, here we go. It looks Anderson is #90:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leander_Paes#Partnerships

90 has to be some kind of record.

Anyway, the Indian Committee has decided - and Paes and Bhupati have been told to play together:

Paes to partner Bhupathi at London Olympics
Bangalore, June 15, 2012 (IANS)


Putting an end to a long-running and contentious issue, the five-member selection committee of the All India Tennis Association Friday named Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi to represent the country in the men’s doubles event of tennis competitions at the London Olympics.

AITA president Anil Khanna, speaking at a Media conference here, asserted that Paes and Bhupathi, who are said to be barely on talking terms, were India’s best bet for an Olympic medal.

Khanna disclosed that the selectors took the “unanimous” decision to field Paes and Bhupathi after a teleconference with the duo and Rohan Bopanna, the other doubles specialist who was in contention.

Stating that differences between the players were “part of professional sport”, Khanna said: “When playing for the country, we hope that all will rise above petty differences.”

Bhupathi had recently said that he preferred to partner Bopanna at the Olympics rather than Paes with whom he has not enjoyed any kind of relationship since parting ways in 2002.

“Players cannot be selectors,” said Khanna when told about Bhupathi’s preference and declined to comment on how the player would react to the decision to team him up with Paes at the Olympics.

“We will not speculate as to how the players will react. If for any reason (other than injury) they decline to play, then they will face disciplinary action,” said Khanna. Bhupathi and Paes came together last year in a bid to win the Australian Open to complete a personal career Slam, but failed. Later, the duo reached the semi-finals at the year-end Masters.

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/...-olympics.html

[Jessie181]

[omess]

Joint press statement from Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna





Bangalore, June 15, 2012: As a team that is entitled to a Direct Acceptance based on ITF criteria, we are saddened to learn of the decision of the AITA Selection Committee to not nominate us for participation in the Men's Doubles Tennis event at the Games of the XXX Olympiad.



As athletes who have committed ourselves to representing the nation, we have worked tirelessly on our pairing, choosing to break winning partnerships, and keep aside personal best interests, to combine forces to represent the nation on sport's most prestigious platform. We have worked together on strengthening our partnership and have proved its benefits. As a result, we have maintained our position as one of the top Men's Doubles teams in the world.



We have repeatedly and consistently communicated to the AITA our desire to only be considered for selection as a team and not as individuals to be paired with any other players. This was on the basis that we are a team legitimately entitled to a Direct Acceptance to the Olympics by virtue of our rankings. It is indeed disappointing that the AITA has chosen to disregard our request
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact....QQzzT0Kdf4idKT

[skatingfan]

Well that statement doesn't make any sense because I was under the impression that only the top 10 doubles players had a spot in the Olympic Doubles competition and of the three of them only Paes has that ranking. It is unfortunate that these guys can't seem to get along - Paes must be a difficult person to partner.

[omess]

Well that statement doesn't make any sense because I was under the impression that only the top 10 doubles players had a spot in the Olympic Doubles competition and of the three of them only Paes has that ranking. It is unfortunate that these guys can't seem to get along - Paes must be a difficult person to partner.

Yes but Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna combined doubles ranking is high enough for direct entry.

[omess]

What happened to the Olympic Ideals?

The Olympic motto may be faster, higher, stronger but the Games are as much about bringing people together as they are about breaking records. Some of the best moments from previous Olympics have been watching competitors from some of the more unheralded countries giving their all, no matter how far off the pace they might be.

Making the team in the first place is a big enough effort and something those who are successful feel rightly proud of. But it seems that tennis, at least for some nations, is proving to be more of a bone of contention than a golden quest.
http://www.thetennisspace.com/opinio...lympic-ideals/

[Ti-Amie]

A furious Mahesh Bhupathi has lashed out at the All India Tennis Association (AITA) by terming his pairing with Leander Paes for the London Olympics as "worst possible in the interest of the country".

Bhupathi was also furious that AITA chose not to send two teams for the mega event and said the decision has something "more to it than meets the eye."

"The ship that I and Leander boarded has sailed long time ago. We have split four times, gone to the Olympics four times and returned empty-handed. For us going back to the Olympics (together) is worst possible in the interest of country," Bhupathi said on Friday.

Bhupathi, who dared the AITA to ban him, didn't stop short of calling Paes a "back-stabber" referring to latter's decision to split during the end of last season.

"He (Paes) publicly and privately stabbed me in the back in November, last year and things can't be turned around. We don't speak and have no camaraderie," he told a TV news channel.

Bhupathi took potshots at AITA saying that with Bopanna's emergence as a top doubles player, the federation had options this time around.

"Earlier, we had no options but now we had a top doubles player who is there in the mix. They could have send two teams but they decided against it. Certainly, there is something more to it than meets the eye. Sadly, they don't have a proper reason for this. But that's how it has been in Indian sports."

Bhupathi was also sarcastic about the pair's chances at the quadrennial extravaganza.

"If anyone can make a case that we (Leander and him) have done well in the last four Olympics, then I am happy to go in the fifth. But I am pretty sure that we would struggle. If AITA feels I should be banned, so be it. They are the be all and know all of Indian tennis," he concluded.


http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/m.../1/200973.html

[suliso]

Why doesn't he drop out then? That would be the logical decision at this point. I would do that in his place...

[Ti-Amie]

A day after Mahesh Bhupathi made it clear that he will not be available for Olympics if not picked to play with regular partner Rohan Bopanna, the All India Tennis Association (AITA) hit back the doubles specialist saying it will not bend and make any changes to the team they have already selected (read Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi).

Newly-elected AITA President Anil Khanna also refuted Bhupathi’s charges of favouritism, saying the committee followed a fair system of selection for the Olympics.

The AITA expressed disappointment over Bhupathi’s comment on Paes and hoped better sense will prevail over the players

Meanwhile, the Indian Olympic Association today stepped in to address the controversy and has asked the AITA for a report regarding the doubles team picked for the Olympic Games.

While asking for the report, IOA made it clear that it fully acknowledges that it is the prerogative of the National Sports Federation (NSF) — in this case AITA — to select the team.

IOA acting president Vijay Kumar Malhotra in a letter to AITA Secretary General, Anil Khanna said, “Our whole focus at the moment should be to send those players/teams, which can be medal prospects and I strongly believe that we have very good chance of winning a medal in tennis this time.

http://www.firstpost.com/sports/aita...in-346270.html

[Woody]

So much for my scoop on the Canadian doubles team! Can anyone guess what happened here? Is this Raonic being generous or focusing on the singles? Or is it possibly a better pairing? That seems unlikely.

[omess]

So much for my scoop on the Canadian doubles team! Can anyone guess what happened here? Is this Raonic being generous or focusing on the singles? Or is it possibly a better pairing? That seems unlikely.

I think it is to give Pospisil a chance to play in the Olympic. Why send 2 players when you can send 3 ?

[Woody]

I think it is to give Pospisil a chance to play in the Olympic. Why send 2 players when you can send 3 ?

I hope that's not it. AFAIK the COC's primary goal is to own the podium. Nothing against Pospisil, but this isn't a feel-good charity. Nestor should be able to name his partner and he should choose his best hope for a medal.

[Togtdyalttai]

Canada just doesn't have any good doubles players other than Nestor. I think they probably figured that it wouldn't matter who they put with Nestor, that they couldn't get a good enough pairing for a medal anyway.

[omess]

Canada just doesn't have any good doubles players other than Nestor. I think they probably figured that it wouldn't matter who they put with Nestor, that they couldn't get a good enough pairing for a medal anyway.

That's why I said it is possibly to give Pospisil a chance. Shamasdin is a ok doubles player but he is not in tennis canada radar.

hope that's not it. AFAIK the COC's primary goal is to own the podium. Nothing against Pospisil, but this isn't a feel-good charity. Nestor should be able to name his partner and he should choose his best hope for a medal.

Surely Nestor was consulted . Don't think he has a better chance with Raonic

[suliso]

Surely Nestor was consulted . Don't think he has a better chance with Raonic

Maybe Raonic didn't want to play, otherwise I disagree. A combination of two top singles players usually beat out 95% of doubles specialists whenever it really matters. Remember who won the last time? After all hardly anyone willingly becomes doubles specialist these days...