The INDIAN EXPRESS ... (End of the line?)

[jayakris]

.. Well, I am wondering..

I was waiting for the damn Cincinnati tournamenty to get done and LP and MB to get free, so we can start discussing the Old Train again, as it will be chugging again next week at Long Island ..

.. but we have never had a thread for LP-MB doubles discussion, as the team was inactive till now.

I suppose we can create a thread for Long Island in the tournament section and discuss there, but then I thought we should perhaps start a forum on "Indian Express" itself in the player pages (to be activated next week and locked subsequently till the next appropriate time! ) ..

Or I can rename this thread and we can discuss it right here.

What do you all think? -- (I leave it to Dhruv to decide, with or without y'all's feedback)

Jay

[Dhruv]

Round 1 Matchup:

(1)Mahesh Bhupathi/Leander Paes (IND) vs Gustavo Kuerten/Flavio Saretta (BRA)

Also moving to Various Players thread... If they get together for the long run maybe next year we can start a forum for them.....

[nkoth]

As Jay pointed out, the dynamic duo have withdrawn from the tournament. According to the Long Island ATP website, the reason is that Paes is sick -- hopefully nothing too serious!

-neil

[jayakris]

Well, LP-MB withdrew. I only noticed the updated draw where the alternates replaced them, now. It is past 11 pm there, but I just got hold of the Press desk and Payers desk at Long Island - they tell me that Leander is down with a flu in Orlando and couldn't make the trip there. MB was in town but the hotel told me he checked out today. So, there goes all our hope for these two to win at least one title this year as well.

But, get well fast, Lee.

Jay

[PKBasu]

Ouch, that hurts. I hope Leander gets better soon -- especially in time for the big USO for which he and Rikl have had precious little preparation.

[Rishav]

sighs, cries , tears...

[jayakris]

Here is Leander finally saying something about his relationship with Mahesh. This was an absolute NO-NO question for a while with the Indian press, and he finally said something. Very heartfelt words, indeed. Heck, I am finally beginning to think that these two may play together again, after all. What the heck, come on Indian Express - let us start with Chennai next!

Jay

PS: I am posting the PTI item in its entirety for now. This will come in as newspaper links tomorrow...
----------------

Leander moved by Mahesh's visit in Orlando

New Delhi, Aug. 26. (PTI): Tennis ace Leander Paes, who is recovering from a parasitic infection in his brain in Orlando, USA, today said he was deeply moved by his former doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi's gesture of visiting him in hospital saying "it definitely built back the bridge that was almost broken between us".

Reflecting on the wonderful partnership he had with Bhupathi, which won the pair three grand slam titles, before their second separation last year, Paes said "one of the disadvantages we human beings have is that we don't forgive and forget very easily."

The pair popularly known as 'Indian Express' was scheduled to play at the Long Island ATP tournament in New York last week but pulled out after Paes was hospitalised.

"It was very heart warming and very special to have Mahesh here and spend about three hours with me. That was very nice of him. His visit definitely built back the bridge that was almost broken between us. It meant a lot to me," an emotional Paes told NDTV at the MD Anderson Cancer Hospital.

"I believe that once you love someone that love remains for ever. It's just that it is interpreted in a different way. As far as my relation with Mahesh... I hold him in very high regard. I support him in his tennis always and I encourage him to be the best he can be," Paes said.

[Rishav]

these are good news guys!

[gvhvhg]

hey guys

i have not done one of my stats posts in a while so here is one
Indian Express Record
ATP/DC/Olympics

1995 1-1
1996 3-7
1997 43-12
1998 54-14
1999 41-13
2000 11-7
2001 40-14
2002 12-4
2003 2-0
TOTAL 206-70

8 TITLES(Challengers): 1995 Aruba, 1996 Fergan, 1996 Aruba 1996 Madras, 1996 Ahemedabad, 1997 Singapore, 1997 Prague, 1997 Jerusalem

21 TITLES:(ATP) 1997 Chennai, 1997 Prague, 1997 Montreal (TMS), 1997 New Haven, 1997 Beijing, 1997 Singapore, 1998 Doha, 1998 Dubai, 1998 Chennai, 1998 Rome (TMS), 1998 Shanghai, 1998 Paris (TMS), 1999 Chennai, 1999 ROLAND GARROS(GS), 1999 WIMBLEDON (GS), 2000 Tokyo, 2001 Atlanta, 2001 Houston, 2001 ROLAND GARROS (GS), 2002 Chennai, 2002 Mallorca

Record in TMS: 47-19 (3 TITLE)
Record in Doubles Championships: 9-9 (0 TITLES)

Will get GS record, and Davis Cup

[jayakris]

OK, Finally a reasonably sure statement that they will be playing together at least a bit before Athens!

-----

Paes hopeful of teaming up with Bhupati ahead of Athens event

Kolkata, Feb 28 (PTI) Indian tennis ace Leander Paes today hoped to team up with estranged partner Mahesh Bhupathi for a couple of tournaments in the United States ahead of the Athens Olympics in August.

With Bhupathi talking on similar lines yesterday, the chances of the once formidable Indian Express - who reigned as the numero uno of the world doubles circuit for months together, before deciding to part ways two years back - reuniting, albeit breifly, seems all the more bright.

"I wanted Mahesh to join me as doubles partner in the Dubai Open itself. But he could not as he had already chosen his partner," Paes said. "I have sent him my calender of events. It's now for him to decide how he can accomoate me," Paes told newspersons here.

Paes, however, hoped that he would be able to join forces with Bhupathi for a couple of tournaments in the US circuit in the coming summer.

Bhupathi had earlier said that he and Paes needed to play a couple of torunaments together in the doubles circuit to get back to their old rhythm before the Athens mega-event. The gangling Bhupathi had also said that he proposed to discuss the matter with Paes in April when the two combine to play the Davis Cup Asia Oceania Zone second round tie against Japan.

Wonderful. "It's now for him to decide how he can accomodate me," Paes said ... Hmmm ... These two seem much more secure about their relationship than earlier - that is the kind of statement LP or MB would not have made earlier.

I had not seen the statement Mahesh made earlier. Did any of you see a newspaper report anywhere on that?

Looks like they may take up on my minimum (plan-B) suggestion of playing LA, Indi, Toronto, Cinci in the four weeks before Athens, if it is not possible to play two grand slams also?? ..

Hurraaaaaay!!!

Jay

[jayakris]

OK, here is what Hesh said -- Actually the same thing. These two are bascially on the same page I think. Things do look up.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/arti ... 525765.cms

Hesh says he is injured? I should email and find out what is up.

Jay

[PKBasu]

Further confirmation that the Indian Express will only get back on the rails in mid-July, giving themselves 4 tournaments (at most) to prepare for Athens. Here's the rediff story:
http://in.rediff.com/sports/2004/may/04oly-ten.htm

[jayakris]

I don't like the tone of that article, which seems to talk as though Mahesh is the one who decides whether to play with Leander now or not. That is not the case. Both are equally responsible for the mess they have always made for themselves (One of them was more responsible for split #1 and the other was more responsible for split #2 in my mind, but mostly they are all even in the blame game in my view). Right now, it is of no use talking abnout whom to blame. They are still not feeling too thrilled about playing with each other. It is like eating a bitter pill for them, and neither wants to ask the other to eat the pill right now it seems, but we know they both will and join together for Olympics.

I am somewhat resigned to the fact that they will only eat the pill for a 3 or 4 week prep tour. If they are not playing the next two grand slams together, a 3-4 weeks tour is enough if they are healthy enough and can get about 8 to 10 matches together. The grand slams (especially FO) would have helped because I strongly believe these two can win it in their sleep -- and that would have helped in the "fear/awe factor" in their opponents at Olympics (and the rankings/seedings). If that is not going to happen, then I am fine with a 4 week prep tour.

"Nothing can come ahead of an Olympic gold. It is something every athlete dreams of winning and there are very few who have an opportunity to make the dream come true," Bhupathi said.

The comment marks quite a turn around in the 30-year old tennis star's outlook. For, exactly four years ago, the Bangalorean did not even think of playing at sport's biggest stage after severing ties with his compatriot.

That is not true either. There is really no change in MB's approach or anything. Mahesh and Leander both did want to do something at Olympics last time. It was simply the fact thet they came back together too late (injuries were the main reason for the delay then, though both were kicking and screaming a bit about playing together for a while before that )..

I hope they start from LA mercedes Cup onwards. With their biggest fan in the stands cheering them on in their start to the "Reunion Tour Part III: Quest for Gold ", things can only go right!

Jay

[jayakris]

Dhruv: Need to move the last two posts to the Indian Express thread .. I don't seem to have the utilities/tools to do that.

Jay

Edit by Dhruv: Done. Hmm you should have the tools/utilities to do that but I guess I'll look into it when I'm back home again. On the road for about a week or so more.

[PKBasu]

Let's not kid ourselves...LP-MB won't be able to win the gold if they merely play for 3-4 weeks before the Olympics. There are 7-10 teams that have been playing together all year in preparation for Athens, and our 30-something heroes can't just barge into a hard-court event with minimal preparation and hope to do much damage.
The psychological aspect is important too. If they are this reluctant to play together, I wonder how much spirit they can muster up when they finally start playing. They did struggle a bit against Japan even, so against the Bryans, Llodra/Santoro, Black/Ullyett, etc., the Indian Express will have to be in peak form if they are to bring back a gold medal.
At the moment, they seem to be aiming no higher than bronze -- and even that, in a rather desultory fashion.