Aisam confirms split with doubles partner Bopanna

Pakistan’s top tennis player to miss out on London Masters this year

KARACHI: Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Haq is out of the running for the prestigious London Masters this year after confirming his split with Indian doubles partner Rohan Bopanna.

Before his partnership with Bopanna and until last year, Aisam had been part of the top eight teams in the world.

While changing doubles partners in tennis is a regular exercise, the blow comes just a few weeks before the big event. The 34-year-old confirmed the split but said that he would still compete at the Valencia Open, which begins on October 20.

“Yes, Bopanna and I have decided to part ways,” Aisam told The Express Tribune. “He will be playing with Daniel Nestor next season. However, I’ll have to see who I can pair up with for the remainder of the season.”

Aisam cited losing crucial matches this year for his decision to part ways with Bopanna.

The only time that luck was on their side was when the duo won the ATP 500 Dubai Open in February and reached the finals in Nice and Sydney.

The duo played their last tournament in Shenzhen, China last month where they reached the quarter-finals.

After that, Aisam paired up with Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez for the Bejing Open and French player Jeremy Chardy at the Shanghai Open.

Bopanna, on the other hand, played with compatriot Leander Paes in Tokyo and Florin Mergea at the Shanghai Open, where he reached the semis.

“It didn’t work out this time with Bopanna. We lost matches this year, and all of them were very close ones,” said Aisam. “ All the big matches were decided on the super-tie breaker. We did our best but it just wasn’t working out.”

The biggest upset for the Pakistani though is the slump in rankings. Aisam’s ATP individual doubles ranking has fallen five places to the 33rd spot, while together with Bopanna, he was ranked 13^th. This led him to miss out on the ATP World Tour this year, ending his dream to finish the year among the top eight teams and play at London’s O2 arena.

“It’s extremely disappointing…,” said Aisam.

At the moment, the Pakistani is visiting his family in Lahore. “I’m here visiting my family but I’ll be leaving for Valencia soon. I entered the tournament with Chardy, but I pulled out because I had to come back home. Now I’ll try to find another partner. Let’s see.”

He added that he would also decide on a mixed doubles partner next month, once the season is over. “For mixed doubles, we’ll be in a position to decide later since there is still time till next season.”

 

Like Sports on Facebook, follow @ETribuneSports on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.