After doubles delight,Bopanna hopes for solo success too

“I am looking forward to the Davis Cup. I am glad that it’s a home tie,the first in two years. Brazil is a tough side. I need to get there (to Chennai) and get some singles practice as I’ve been playing doubles for so long. But I’ll be hoping we can get India back in the World Group,” Bopanna said on Friday night.

While Bopanna spent the year partnering Qureshi,come Davis Cup and the Commonwealth Games,he will also have to quickly adapt to partnering different players for doubles ties and perhaps might find Qureshi on the other side of the court at the Commonwealth Games.

Qureshi would prefer if he doesn’t run into Bopanna. “It’s definitely not going to be easy. I hope I don’t get drawn against Bopanna at the Commonwealth Games but at the end of the day we are professional tennis players. I understand that we’ve got to go all out for our countries and if we’re drawn against each other,we’ll give our best. Of course that won’t bring any difference in our friendship,or our teamwork,” Qureshi said while talking about the prospect of facing Bopanna in New Delhi.

After donning the India jersey in September and October,Bopanna’s road ahead is full of more ATP tournaments with Qureshi. The Indo-Pak pair has set new targets for themselves. “Up ahead is the Barclays Masters in November,which features the world’s top-eight teams and after our success at the US Open we have a good shot at that. Then we pair up again to play the Shanghai Masters,so we’re looking ahead to doing well and winning a lot more titles,” Bopanna said.

At the heart of their new-found confidence in taking on the world’s best lies the success they enjoyed at the US Open. Qureshi believes there’s no reason why they can’t be the top doubles team in the world. “There are a whole lot of positives from our run this season. We beat top-ten teams. We just got to continue believing in our abilities and then there’s no reason why we can’t be the number one team.” Qureshi added.

Bopanna and Qureshi have enjoyed a fine season. They beat the higher-seeded Bryan brothers (Legg Mason; Washington),Mahesh Bhupathi- Max Mirnyi (Pilot Pen; New Haven),Daniel Nestor- Nenad Zimonjic and Wesley Moodie-Dick Norman (US Open) in a year which saw them make the headlines.