Top-ranked Indian doubles player Leander Paes, who has said that the Olympics are the most important competition to him in tennis, threatens to withdraw for the London Games if potential doubles partners Mahesh Bhupathi or Rohan Bopanna refuse to play him. Paes, who is looking to become the first Asian male to play in six straight Olympics, said last month that he didn’t care whom he would be partnered with and that karma would decide his fate. But now he's upset that two of his countrymen have stated that they don't want to play with him, and he might have to compete with a young, undeveloped player, such as Vishnu Vardhan (ranked No. 207) or teenager Yuki Bhambri (ranked No. 306).
"It would not be acceptable, if with my ranking as the best Indian tennis player, I give up the best option of partner for winning a medal for my country and am made to play the Olympics with a player ranked 207 or 306 in the world, while the No. 13- and No. 15-ranked players form another team together based on their refusal to play with me," the No. 7-ranked Paes wrote in his letter to All India Tennis Association. "We cannot be condoning or rewarding the drama enacted by Mahesh and Rohan. This would be a bad precedent for current and future sports persons (particularly tennis players) in our country. If this is the case then for the sake of Indian Tennis and to relieve the AITA in regards to the selection of the team, I have no other option but to withdraw from the Olympics."