It is inexcusable that Leander Paes reached Rio a day before doubles match: Mahesh Bhupathi

New Delhi: Ace Indian tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi on Monday slammed his former doubles partner Leander Paes for arriving late in Rio Olympics 2016.

While the talks about Paes' playing in his seventh Olympics was making the headlines, the 43-year-old disappointed everybody by arriving in Rio a day before his doubles match and without much practice with his doubles partner Rohan Bopanna.

As a result of lack of practice, the duo was knocked out in the first round.

While several fans were left disappointed, Bhupathi too gave Paes a piece of his mouth for his late arrival at the biggest sporting spectacle.

"I don't care who you are. I don't care how much money you are making (Paes reached Rio late as a result of a club tennis engagement in the US). It is inexcusable that Leander reached Thursday night, expecting a miracle on Saturday. It's unfathomable. The Olympics schedule is out two years in advance. You keep singing the song that this is your thing," Bhupathi was quoted as saying by Economic Times.

The four-time Grand Slam men's doubles winner made it clear that Paes could not have gone to the Games without proper preparation.

Rohan Bopanna and Leander Paes' Rio campaign came to an early end after they lost 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the first round of the men's doubles against Polish pair of Lukasz Kubot and Marci Matkowski.