India’s Olympics dream is now in jeopardy with Mahesh Bhupathi announcing that he will not go to the London Olympics if he is separated from his usual partner Rohan Bopanna and forced to play with Leander Paes, the doubles specialist said on Friday.

His reaction came after All Indian Tennis Association (AITA) announced on Friday that Bhupathi would be prevented from competing with his normal partner Rohan Bopanna.

Instead he would have to play with Paes in 2012 Olympics, with whom he won three Grand Slam titles before the pair had an acrimonious split. "I have told them I will not partner Leander Paes. I have told them I am not available if they don't pick me with Rohan.

We have been hoping all year since we decided to partner together that we were going to represent India at the Olympics. The decision taken today did not go in our favour so we are going to try and hope that something changes”, Bhupathi said at the Queen's Club tournament in West London.

Bhupathi feels they do not have the relationship on court needed to succeed at the Olympics in July and August. "We (Paes and Bhupathi) haven't practiced together. We haven't literally spoken with each other since we played last at the Masters in London in November so there is no camaraderie, there is no chemistry."

Now let’s see what AITA decides!

Source: TNN