Mahesh Bhupathi planning legal action against AITA

Mahesh Bhupathi, who was banned by All India Tennis Association, has hinted that he is not going to sit back quietly over the apex tennis body’s decision.

Mumbai: Veteran tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi on Monday threatened to drag AITA to the court for ousting him from India's Davis Cup squad along with Rohan Bopanna, saying he was exploring if the national federation's move was legal.

All India Tennis Association (AITA) had banned Bhupathi and Bopanna from representing the country till June 30, 2014 on disciplinary grounds. AITA had taken the decision hours after India's young Davis Cup team took an unassailable 3-0 lead against New Zealand in Chandigarh on Saturday. Bhupathi will address a press conference in Mumbai tomorrow to give his side of the story and reveal his next move. "Rohan has played for India for 10 years and I have played now for about 18 years now. And to get slapped with something like this, I take this as rough," Bhupathi said. "We are exploring it, we don't know yet but I don't think what they have done and the way they have done it , is fully legal. So we are exploring it what they have done is right and obviously if not legal, we are gonna go after it," he added. Asked if he felt the AITA action was because of personal vendetta, Bhupathi said " Ya, believe so". "It's been going on with me and association and heads of the federation for years now. I am just upset and afraid that my friend and partner Rohan has got caught in the middle of this dirty game. I have been quiet for a long time," AITA had chosen Bhupathi to play with Leander Paes at the London Olympics but both he and Bopanna refused the pairing and instead forced the AITA to pair them for the Games. AITA had to accede to their demand at that time but has now taken the action saying it will not tolerate indiscipline. Both Paes and Somdev Devvarman had made themselves unavailable for the tie but AITA said their act did not amount to indiscipline as they had requested to be excused from the tie. PTI