After Leander Paes and Czech partner Radek Stepanek beat Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna for the doubles title in Shanghai today, Paes admits that facing his fellow Indians was not just a routine match. Paes, Bhupathi, and Bopanna were involved in a controversy this summer when Bhupathi and Bopanna refused to partner with him at the Olmypic Games.
"Today was a bit more of a personal match for us three Indians," Paes told reporters. "Radek came in and he made it fun for me. He relaxed, laughed, joked. [He] said, 'stay smooth, relaxed and have a hungry intensity'. I come up and make it fun for him and try and take over whenever I can."