Mahesh Bhupathi slams AITA over its pairing policies

Melbourne: India`s veteran tennis player Mahesh Bhuapthi Thursday slammed the All India Tennis Federation (AITA) policies when it comes to pairing players for big international events.

Bhupathi was baffled by the AITA`s decision to pair Sania Mirza with Leander Paes for the 2010 Commonwealth Games held in Delhi, even though he and Sania won the Australian Open mixed doubles title in 2009. Asked if he would be seen with Sania Mirza for the mixed doubles event in London Olympics, Bhupathi said when it comes to Olympics it could be anybody`s guess but when it comes to Grand Slam, he and Sania would try to add another title. "Funny enough, the politics of our association are so that we really don`t know," Bhutpathi told reporters here at the Australian Open. Bhupathi said even after winning the Australian Open with Sania in 2009 they were not paired for the 2010 Commonwealth Games at home. Sania and Paes were knocked out of the Commonwealth Games by eventual gold medallists Jocelyn Rae and Colin Fleming from Scotland in the quarterfinal. "Sania and me won two years ago at the Australian Open and still for the Commonwealth games, they did not put us together. So as far as the Olympic goes, it is anyone`s guess who is going to play with Sania. As far as the Grand Slam goes, we are going to try and win another title," he added. Bhupathi last year spilt with his old partner Paes, a bronze medallist in Atlanta Olympics, to pair with Rohan Bopanna with an eye to the London Olympics. Bhupathi and Paes reunited after a nine-year gap with the plan of representing India at the Olympics but parted ways soon. Sania had also supported the spilt, saying the decision was justified as the duo had played together in the Olympics without much success. Sania is also eyeing the three Grand Slams before the 2012 Olympics. IANS