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The Rediff Sports Interview / Mahesh Bhupathi

'We compliment each other in such a way that we're obviously best together'

In 1997, Mahesh Bhupathi stood tall at the Roland Garros, Paris, and, along with Japan's Rika Hiraki, held aloft the French Open mixed doubles trophy -- the first time ever that an Indian player had a Slam title to his credit.

He then went on to add two more to his collection -- the 1999 Wimbledon and French Open men's doubles crowns. Both in company of Leander Paes.

If 1999 was the golden year that saw Bhupathi, in tandem with Paes, attain the number one ranking in world tennis, then 2000 was the trough. He parted ways with Paes, and picked up a shoulder injury that kept him out of action for most part of the year. He had to wait till October for his first title -- at the Japan Open, following a rapprochment with Paes.

The season-ending World Doubles Championship in Bangalore last week saw the duo make yet another bid for a title that had narrowly eluded them in 1997 and 1999 -- only to fall agonisingly short. But even in that cloud, there was a silver lining for their fans -- Paes and Bhupathi announced that they were not only back together, but hungry to retain the No.1 spot they held in '99.

Mahesh Bhupathi spoke to Faisal Shariff soon after he and Paes lost to Piet Norval and Donald Johnson in the World Doubles final. And in course of a free-wheeling conversation, the the 26-year-old Madras-born Arjuna awardee reflected on his reunion with Paes and his plans for the future. Excerpts:

With regard to your partnership with Leander, what has playing this tournament meant to you?

I think it's a big step in the right direction. We were coming here without any practice, without any confidence, but we came here, played the best teams in the world and beat most of them. So, I think it's a great step in the right direction. Now we have a lot of confidence.

How different do you feel playing now after your injury?

It's been a year since the surgery and six months since I have come back, so I am pretty happy with the way things have turned out. I am playing as well as I have been. I think I have played a very high level of doubles this week. So I am pretty excited with the way the injury has come along.

How does it feel to be a team again with Leander, after all that you two have been through?

We have been struggling, obviously. Coming back after a split is not easy. We played well in Tokyo but then had another break because he [Paes] got injured. But this week has been very good for us.

What do you mean when you say you have been struggling?

That is an answer we haven't given to anybody and we are not going to give to anybody.

Is it on a mental level or on an emotional level?

We are struggling on an emotional and mental level. We are struggling on all the levels right now.

You have said that now it doesn't matter even if you guys don't meet for 2-3 weeks now?

It just meant that normally we always keep in touch with each other but now it doesn't matter anymore because he's based out of Orlando and I'm based out of New York, and we kind of lead our own lives. As long as we come together and play as a team on the tennis court, that's what counts.

What was the single binding factor that got you to come together again? Was it the fact that you'll are on the verge of going down in history as the best doubles pair ever, now after the Woodies have retired?

I don't think that was the factor. To be honest, we have made history and its going to be pretty tough for any team to duplicate what we did last year (getting to the finals of all the four Grand Slams events). So I don't think that was a fact. But both of us definitely felt that we compliment each other in such a way that we're obviously best together. So we decide to make a second effort.

You seem to have a feeling of been-there-done-that. Have you lost any of that hunger for success? What more do you want to achieve?

Well, now that we have gone through our injuries, one of the goals that we would like to get is to be number one in the world again. And that would be very satisfying for us.

What is more satisfying, the number one tag or a Grand Slam?

They go hand in hand. If you win a Grand Slam, you are either number one or two in the world anyway. Obviously, we will concentrate on winning Grand Slams and if we do, then we will be number one.

On a personal level, what does this tournament mean to you, getting as far as you did?

It was very big for me because my dad was the tournament director. He had done all the organising, so it was very important for me to stay healthy. I know that Leander is not a hundred per cent fit, but he still came and made an effort to play, which was great. We played some great tennis. On the whole it was a very big event for me.

Do you think that doubles is getting the recognition it deserves?

My opinion is the same as that of the other guys on the tour. I'm in the same boat as the others. I'm of the same consensus that doubles is not getting any kind of recognition. There is no marketing, there is no promotion and that is something all the doubles players would like to see on the doubles circuit. I think the ATP should start making an effort on their part.

If you were to make one single change to the game of tennis, to make it more exciting than it is, what would it be?

I don't think the game is struggling that much now. You have a lot of new faces coming up -- Hewitt, Roger Federer, so there is a lot of great talent for the next generation. I don't like making too many changes to the traditional sport.

Describe Leander as a person, as you know him?

He's got a big heart. He's got his head on his shoulders, he's not too high on himself.

If you were to pick one quality of him as a person and player, what would it be?

This is a stupid question. Why are we talking about Leander?

Where are you headed as a singles player? Are you taking that into consideration as well?

Right now I can't do that because of my shoulder, but I am going to start in Chennai in January, so I'll see how that holds up.

What did you do during the lay-off period? How did you while away your time?

I live in New York and I have a lot of friends there; so I enjoy spending time there. I like surfing the Net, just staying at home watching TV because I'm sick of hotel rooms.

Which way do you think is tennis headed in India? Do you think that the crisis in cricket is going to reap any gains for tennis in the country?

We are not trying to compete with cricket because that's something that we can't do. But tennis is definitely headed in the right direction. This event is huge; the Chennai event is huge, and then we had the Legends event. So kids and people here and around the country have had exposure to the game on TV and that matters, as it will generate interest.

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