New Delhi: India's tennis campaign at the Asian Games appears to be falling apart even before the start as a cloud of doubt is now hanging over Rohan Bopanna's participation since the top doubles player is keen to salvage his 2014 pro season by playing on the ATP Tour instead of competing in Incheon.
It has been learnt that Bopanna, who last year became world number three in the ATP doubles rankings, is not happy with his 2014 run and wants to make amends by winning matches on the demanding Tour in the remainder of the season.
If Bopanna decides to opt out of the Indian squad, it will be the country's second big loss as top singles player Somdev Devvarman has already pulled out of the event due to same reason.
“Rohan is in the same boat as Somdev, only in doubles. I am not sure yet if he will be with us at the Asian Games,” Anand Amritraj, captain of India's Asian Games and Davis Cup squads, told PTI.
It has been learnt that Bopanna, who has played a pivotal role along with Somdev in India's good show in the Davis Cup in the last few years, had a chat with Amritraj on Wednesday about his participation and is still undecided.
Amritraj, who is a respected figure in the Indian tennis circle, reasoned that the players should not be portrayed as bad boys if they decide to concentrate on their individual careers.
“All of them are very good boys who have to sometimes make tough decisions based on their career and livelihood. That's what is happening here,” the 62-year-old said.
After re-uniting with Pakistan's Aisam-ul-haq Qureshi, Bopanna is coping with a flurry of failures this season, in which they have managed to win only one title - the ATP 500 event in Dubai.
They ended runners-up in ATP 250 events in France and Sydney but the fact is that Bopanna started the year as number number 13 and is now placed almost on the edge of the top-30 at number 29.
Bopanna and Qureshi struggled at the Grand Slam level and the failed US Open campaign, where they crashed out in the first round, had the Indian thinking. They suffered second-round exits at Rolland Garros and Wimbledon and making third round at Australian Open was their best show at Majors.
