Click to play videoNew Delhi: With just over two months to go for the Beijing Olympics, India's tennis stars, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes are heading for yet another showdown.
CNN-IBN has learnt that Bhupathi has told the All India Tennis Association that he has run out of patience and does not want to play alongside Leander.
CNN-IBN has a copy of the explosive e-mail sent by Mahesh Bhupathi to the Indian Olympic Association, in which Bhupathi says:
"While people who don't really understand tennis are willing to force us to play together to win a medal, you will agree that we are not magicians and a medal will not happen just because we step on court. I would prefer to play with Rohan Bopanna in Beijing, we do have a good relationship and we are planning to play a couple of events over the next few months."
Leander and Mahesh raised hopes of pairing up again for an assault on the Olympic gold. Infact, earlier this year Mahesh had even said that him pairing up with Leander was India's best chance for a medal at Beijing.
So why the change of heart? CNN-IBN has learnt that Mahesh wanted to play at least three tournaments with Leander in the lead-up to the Olympics.
However, Leander has just changed his doubles partner; so playing with Mahesh means compromising on valuable ATP points and he also believes that playing with Mahesh doesn't need too much ground-work.
The IOA refused to comment, but the Tennis Association is convinced that the only Indian pairing that will play in Beijing will be Leander and Mahesh.
There is no doubt though that ahead of the Olympics, tennis fans will have hoped another controversy hasn't cropped up.
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