After Paes, Bhupathi parts ways with partner Bopanna

London, Nov 13: It was a bad news for Indian tennis as Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna decided to part their ways on Tuesday, Nov 13. The decision came after the Indian doubles team suffered a frustrating 7-5, 3-6, 10/3 defeat in the final of the ATP Tour Finals on Monday.

Mahesh Bhupathi, left, and Rohan Bopanna both of India, hold their ATP World Tour Tennis doubles runners-up trophies after they were defeated in the final by Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez both of Spain.

However, it was the partnership between Bhupathi and Leander Paes which was legendary in Indian tennis circuit. But they parted their ways in a bitter way, leaving Indian fans disappointed.

Sources say Bopanna, 32, will play with American Rajeev Ram, while Bhupathi, 32, is yet to reveal his new partner.

Asked if they would continue playing together next season, Bopanna told AFP, "No. We're playing with different partners for the next season."

"I'm playing with Rajeev Ram next year. He comes to the tournament in Chennai every year. Just maybe a few days before Chennai we're going to start."

"Tennis wise, we've had a great two weeks and can't complain about that."

"I'm happy to take all the positives from the tennis tour and now look forward to the new partnership coming up."

Bhupathi added, "Rohan is getting married in 10 days. Till then, it's only drinking and eating. I don't know about our respective partners but I start (2013) in Chennai."

"There were times in the year where, you know, the pundits of Indian tennis threw us under the bus, said that we're not good enough, said that these guys are jokers."

"But we believed in ourselves. We've beaten all the top teams there are to beat. We came through with flying colours, which I think is a credit to us at the end of the day."

Bhupathi won three doubles titles with Paes, including French Open and Wimbledon. He and Leander became the first doubles team to reach the finals of all four Grand Slams, the first time such a feat has been achieved in the open era and the first time since 1952.

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