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After Leander Paes' comments, AITA asks players not to voice opinions in public: Report

Paes has clarified that his comments wasn't the intention as he wanted to put his case forth on the issue as it s about winning a medal for the country.

After Leander Paes' comments, AITA asks players not to voice opinions in public: Report

New Delhi: The national tennis federation of the country has urged players not to voice their opinions in public for the upcoming 2016 Rio Olympics after reacting to Leander Paes' comments on pairings for the mega event.

According to a report in the Hindustan Times, sources had suggested that Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna had anyway decided to not add any further fuel to this controversy by commenting further.

The federation has been quick to counsel Paes. The veteran feels that he was only responding to the comments of Bopanna and Mirza made on the issue regarding Rio pairing. Interestingly, Mirza had not really categorically stated that she will definitely partner Bopanna.

Mirza, ahead of a press conference before an exhibition mixed doubles in Delhi, had said that Rohan was his partner since she was 14-years-old and that the duo know each other very well in anticipating their games.

She had further added that there are so many things which go unsaid in their equation when they are playing that also revolves around reacting to a certain situation in a match. Sania considers Bopanna as her best friend off the court too and would love to partner him on court.

Meanwhile, Paes is said to have distanced the other players by his comments. Although he clarified that it wasn't the intention as he wanted to put his case forth on the issue as it s about winning a medal for the country.

Paes had gone on to add that personal matters cannot dictate one's choices in issues where the pride of the flag is concerned.

The 42-year-old had said recently that Bopanna refused to play with him ahead of biggest sporting extravaganza even though he believes it's important to play few tournaments together.

"I had asked Rohan if he would like to play with me this year in the lead up to Rio, but he has turned me down saying he is very comfortable with Florin Mergea and would like to continue that," Paes told the Times of India.