Mahesh Bhupathi was looking relaxed and well holidayed when the question caught him off guard: Would he partner Leander Paes in the doubles at the Tata Open here early next year? Usually quick with words, Mahesh looked around and smiled. An edgy silence later, he replied, almost sotto voc: ‘‘Leander and I have talked about it. Nothing certain yet.’’ According to event organisers IMG, Leander had been offered a wild card for the singles and they were waiting for his reply. ‘‘I’ve been in touch with Leander and I’m glad that he’s started practising after his return to India,’’ said Mahesh. Much will depend, of course, on Leander’s recovery and match fitness. ‘‘It’s too early to say anything but I’m confident we’ll be there for the doubles if all goes well,’’ said Mahesh. ‘‘I hope he recovers completely and soon.’’ The tournament in Chennai has always been special for the Indians, with packed stadiums greeting the duo during their matches. The Mahesh-Leander pair last won the title in 2002 here. They had earlier won a hat-trick of titles from 1997-1999, the last being their best season on the world stage, when they were known as the ‘Indian Express’. Mahesh currently plays with Belarussian Max Mirnyi, with whom he’s won the US Open triumph in 2002 and five ATP titles this year. Leander had a decent run in doubles this year, reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. The Indian’s best moment in 2003 came, when he partnered Martina Navratilova to win the mixed doubles event at the Australian Open.
