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Photograph: AFP/Getty Images


Leander Paes picked his second gold medal of the day at the Asian Games when he teamed with Sania Mirza to win the mixed doubles title on Wednesday.

The top seeded Indian pair beat Satoshi Iwabuchi and Akiko Morigami of Japan 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in a two hour 20 minute battle to bring down the curtain on a heady day for Indian fans at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex.

Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

Immediately after winning the coveted Asian Games doubles gold medal in Doha on Wednesday, Mahesh Bhupathi announced the end of his partnership with Leander Paes, which fetched the former world No 1 pair three Grand Slam titles.

Bhupathi, who was accused of under-performing by Paes after the shock loss to Chinese Taipei in the first round of the men's team event, broke his silence after the gold medal triumph.

"It is over, and thank god it is over on a high, because I feel after we had a career together it would have been unfair anywhere else," the Bangalore-based player said.

Referring to his partner's comments during the Games earlier, Bhupathi said he was hurt and, thankfully, would not have to hear such comments in future.

"I have been living with his comments for the last 12 years. I am hurt. Hopefully, this is the last one since we stopped playing together now," he said.

Bhupathi made it clear that it is definitely the end of the road for the 'Indian Express' on the tennis circuit.

"Unfortunately he did not want to play with me in the beginning. Since he has made his point I will go with it," the winner of 10 Grand Slams said.

Asked about his fitness in the light of Paes questioning his physical conditioning for the mega event, Bhupathi countered: "I felt I played pretty well this whole week. I am sure had I not been fit I would not have been able to bring back gold to India."

He regretted that the famed duo will not team up again.

"Honestly, our story is the biggest tragedy that has ever happened to Indian sport, and I say that I am glad that this tragedy ended on a high note with a gold in the Asian Games," he said.

The pair, which hasn't played together on the professional circuit for quite some time, however teamed up for the Davis Cup as well as multi-disciplinary events, such as the Olympics and Asian Games.

After the defeat to Chinese Taipei in the team event, Paes had hit out at his doubles partner for not playing with honesty.

"I just feel that Hesh (Mahesh Bhupathi) should be honest with himself, his injuries and his tennis," the 33-year-old veteran player had said without mincing any words.

"I have tremendous respect for him. He is a fantastic tennis player and has done a lot for the country. But, at the moment, he needs to be honest with himself," Paes said.

Paes, the captain of the Indian team, had also threatened to drop Bhupathi.

"My job, not only as a player but also as a captain, is to choose the best team to win medals and unfortunately with that (Bhupathi's) performance we have to do a rethink."

Mahesh's father C G K Bhupathi had termed Paes' comments as "unethical" and questioned his commitment instead.

"It's not fair on the part of the captain to comment this way, it's unethical," Bhupathi Sr had said. "How can one partner point a finger at the other and say they lost the match because of him? What if the other also stoops to that level."

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are back on the marquee. After doing their best to keep a low-profile and advance through the doubles draw in a business-like manner, the former world No 1 pair called on their lost chemistry to come through a dramatic final at the Asian Games and retain the men's doubles crown they won at the last Games in Busan, South Korea.

Paes and Bhupathi in a chest bumpIn what could be their last match for India together, the ace Indian duo saved seven match-points in the second set before beating the Ratiwatana brothers, Sanchai and Sonchat, of Thailand 4-6, 7-6 (7), 6-3 for the gold medal in thrilling two-hour 43 minute battle on Wednesday.

Earlier, Indian ace Sania Mirza, ranked 66th, was outplayed by world number 33 Jie Zheng of China in the women's singles final and went down 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 in an hour and 49 minutes.

Paes and Bhupathi, the defending champions began on a high, breaking the Thai twins in the first game to go 2-0 up. But they failed to serve out the set at 5-4, as the Ratiwatanas kept their nerve to break Paes's serve. Matching the veteran Indians stroke for stroke, even at the net, the Thais went on to win the first set 7-5 in 44 minutes.

After the second set went on serve till 6-5, India were in deep trouble and looked set for a shock defeat at 0-40 down. But Paes lifted the team with a superb showing as the pair defended six match-points in the game. He conjured intelligent lobs and drop volleys at deciding points to leave the Thais guessing. The chest bumps returned as the Indians picked themselves from an almost losing cause to take the set into the tie-break.

Paes-Bhupathi again found themselves in trouble at 5-3 down in the tie-break, but their experience and Paes's touch was difficult to overcome. Sanchai served a double fault at 7-8 to bring a tame end to the high-quality set.

The Indians came out charging for the third set, but the game was interrupted due to a steady drizzle. However, they never let the advantage slip, breaking the Thai duo in the first game and were quickly off the blocks.

There was a stutter in India's progress, when Bhupathi dropped serve in the third game. But India broke back immediately to shoot into the lead and coasted through the set thereafter.

Wednesday's final brought back memories of the bronze medal match at the Athens Olympics when Paes and Bhupathi battled for over four hours but failed to get the better of the Croatian pair of Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic.

Sania Mirza

Jie Zheng

India hopes of a three-gold haul in the tennis event at the Asian Games were dashed when Sania Mirza was beaten by China's Jie Zheng in the women's singles final at the Khalifa Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha on Wednesday evening.

The Indian ace, ranked 66th, was outplayed by the world number 33 and went down 6-4, 1-6, 6-1 in an hour and 49 minutes, leaving a packed house deflated.

"It was tough," a beaming Zheng told reporters. "Everyone was supporting Sania, so I had to keep going in the final set."

Sania, who had easily overcome China's Na Li in the semi-finals, found the going tough against the gritty Zheng. Though the Indian had more power in her strokes, Zheng worked out her game well. She slowed down the pace of the match and made the Indian ace do the running. The players traded breaks in the sixth and seventh games, but Zheng cracked Sania's serve in the tenth to take the first set 6-4.

India suffered a shock defeat in the first round of the men's team event in tennis when the champion pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes went down meekly to Chinese Taipei's Yeu Tzuoo Wang and Yen Hsun Lu in the doubles at the Asian Games in Doha on Monday.

The Chinese beat Paes-Bhupathi 6-2, 6-3 in 76 minutes to hand India a 2-1 defeat at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex.

India's top-ranked player Rohan Bopanna had earlier drawn India level with a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 victory over Lu. After losing the first set in 34 minutes, Bopanna forced the second in the tie-break to eventually win it.

Wang outclassed Karan Rastogi 6-1, 6-3 in the opening singles.

Hosts Qatar, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Japan, Bahrain, Korea and the Philippines advanced to the men's team quarter-finals along with the Chinese Taipei.