'Indian Express' signals end of road

DOHA: India's Mahesh Bhupathi launched a bitter attack on doubles partner Leander Paes on  Wednesday moments after they had teamed up to defend their Asian Games title.    

He described the last 10 days as miserable after Paes, the Indian captain, and the coach criticised him following their shock loss in the team event to Taiwan at the start of the tournament.   

"There was an opportunity to question me and it was done in a haphazard manner by the captain and the coach," said Bhupathi.   

The 32-year-old revealed he had been coaxed into coming to Doha, after Paes said he would refuse to play with him.   

"When I proved my fitness (back in India), he flat out told me he didn't want to play with me," he told reporters outside the Khalifa Tennis Complex where they had beaten Thai twins Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana 5-7, 7-6 (9/7), 6-3 in the gold medal match.   

"I was coaxed into coming and again the soap opera started and I'm just glad I'm going home with at least a gold medal."   

He said it appeared the chances of the pair, dubbed the "Indian Express", combining again for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing were nil.  

"We should forget about the Olympic gold because it's clearly not happening with both of us. I'm not going to go begging for anybody," he added.   

The outburst is the latest in a series of disputes between the pair who combined to win three Grand Slam titles together but parted soon after the Athens Olympics in 2004.   

They reunited here to defend their Asian Games title, and have been at pains to stress that their feuding had been put to one side.   

Bhupathi said he had held his tongue throughout the tournament to concentrate on wining gold for India.   

"The goal was to win a gold medal for India and that has been done," he added.     

But he said he was forced to speak out publicly after hearing that Paes had told a BBC journalist after their win on Wednesday that he would not want to play regularly together in the future.

He said despite their spats in the past, they had always "come together for India...and put our best foot forward."   

However, Paes clarified after the mixed doubles match that his earlier comments had been "misunderstood".

"I had been asked whether I would be playing on a regular basis with Mahesh. I said no because I have a partner on the circuit (Martin Damm). I will always play with Mahesh when it comes to India. He is the stalwart of the team and would love to play with him when representing the country. There is obviously some confusion about what has been said," Paes said after winning the mixed doubles title with Sania Mirza.

The pair have collected eight career Grand Slam doubles titles between them.