Tennis row: Turn of events

Rohan Bopanna breaks his partnership with Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi and teams up with Mahesh Bhupathi for playing in the London Olympics.

All India Tennis Federation (AITA) leaves Rohan Bopanna out and decide to pair Mahesh Bhupathi with Leander Paes - India's highest-ranked doubles player.

Mahesh Bhupathi refuses citing incorrigible differences with Leander Paes and says he had been training with Rohan Bopanna with London Games in mind.

Rohan Bopanna too refuses to partner Leander Paes saying he had broken up his successful partnership with Aisam Qureshi to team up with Mahesh Bhupathi so that he gets a chance to represent India at the Olympics.

Junior player Vishnu Vardhan comes into the picture. AITA decides to pair Leander Paes with the 207th ranked Vardhan.

Sania Mirza too came down heavily on Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi and also criticised AITA for using her as "bait" to pacify Paes.

Leander Peas refuses to endorse by AITA's comprise formula. Says, "For the sake of Indian tennis and to relieve AITA with regards to the team selection, I've no other option but to withdraw."

The Somdev Devvarman factor
Somdev Devvarman, who till now was being billed as the ideal candidate to pair with Leander Paes is nursing a shoulder injury. Somdev comes out saying, he is fit and ready to team up with Paes. AITA refuses.  "We don't want to jeopardise Paes' chances by pairing him with someone who may not be fit effectively," says the federation president Anil Khanna.

AITA decides to endorse sports minister Ajay Maken and Mahesh Bhupathi's stand of sending two men's doubles team at the Olympics. But, the move draws a blank with Leander Paes, who sticks to his earlier stand of withdrawing from the Games if Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna are allowed an entry.