New Delhi: Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi have decided to split as a pair, ending speculation over their future as a mixed doubles team following the bitter selection row ahead of the London Olympics.
The two players are playing with different partners at the ongoing US Open, Sania teaming up with British doubles specialist Colin Fleming, while Bhupathi is playing with Czech Andrea Hlavackova.
“Our commitment was only upto the Olympics and we both thought we needed a break after all that has happened [recently],” Sania said from New York.
The selection row had strained the friendship of Sania and Bhupathi as an angry Sania had alleged that she was used as a “bait” by AITA to pacify a disgruntled Leander Paes with whom both Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna had refused to play at the Games.
Paes was forced to play with lower-ranked Vishnu Vardhan and in compensation he was assured a pairing with Sania in the mixed doubles event.
Sania’s preferred partner was Bhupathi, but she was not consulted by AITA.
Bhupathi had stuck with Bopanna as partner and sacrificed his partnership with Sania.
Sania had won the Australian Open (2009) and French Open (2012) with Bhupathi. (PTI)
