Tennis player Rohan Bopanna has regained his place in the Top 10 of Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings that have just been released on Monday. Besides officially confirming his direct qualification into the Men’s Doubles Tennis event at Rio Olympics 2016, the current feat also enables the 36-year-old to choose his own partner to travel to the touristic capital of Brazil.
The extensive debacle involving the selection of Doubles’ teams to represent India by the AITA prior to the London Olympics in 2012 has certainly not been wiped from the memories of the country’s sports followers. With Rohan Bopanna now making the cut by virtue of his individual ranking in the discipline, it’s time for him to make the compelling decision the whole nation awaits with bated breath.
The burning question posed for the tennis star right now is who he should pick in order to ensure the highest possibility of achieving the coveted podium finish for India at this year’s Olympics, at the same time overcoming any personal differences that might exist with his prospective partner. His options include the 43-year-old former bronze winner and India’s most successful tennis champion – veteran Leander Paes or the likes of Purav Raja, Divij Sharan, Saketh Myneni, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and of course, his long-term ally Mahesh Bhupathi in Men’s Doubles.
While the clock ticks, Leander, currently ranked 46th by the ATP stands tall as the people’s favourite – as has been reverberated in the replies to his gleeful tweet celebrating the latest accomplishment this afternoon:
As the salutes and cheers began to pour in from all corners, Beijing Olympics gold medallist and IOA’s ambassador for the Indian Olympic team this year, Mr. Abhinav Bindra congratulated the jubilant Bopanna before seizing the opportunity to ask about who he wishes to partner in the event, at the same time adding a smiling emoticon at the end:
Although he did acknowledge the shooter’s ovation by thanking him, Bopanna’s response, however, didn’t reveal anything regarding his much-anticipated decision:
