Confusion prevailed over Mahesh Bhupathi's announcement of not playing for India again; the multiple Grand Slam champion is standing firm by his decision while the All India Tennis Association is confident about pursuading him to reverse it.
Bhupathi had announced on Monday in Mumbai, after winning the doubles title at the Kingfisher Airlines Open with Mario Ancic, that he was retiring from team competitions including the upcoming Doha Asian Games in December.
"I am not playing," Bhupathi said when asked whether his decision was final.
"I have not sent an official communication yet but I had a person-to-person chat with Anil Khanna (Secretary General of the All India Tennis Association) when he was in Mumbai. I think they respect my decision," he said.
Khanna, on his part believed, Bhupathi will play in Doha as well as in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
"I have no doubt that he will play. We will pursuade him to change his decision," Khanna told PTI.
"I am confident that Leander (Paes) and Mahesh will win the gold not only in the Asian Games but also in the Olympics. The Doha gold is reserved for them."
The Indian squad has already been named but Khanna said there was no need to talk about replacements.
He also did not believe that Bhupathi's decision had anything to do with Sania Mirza opting to play with Paes in the mixed doubles.
"I think Mahesh is too big for these things. His decision has got to do less with Asian Games than the Davis Cup where India is playing at the zonal level," Khanna said.
Bhupathi said his decision was not sudden but one which he had "been contemplating for a while."
"It was due to a bunch of factors. I made the decision based on all circumstances around me," he said.
Among the factors he listed were his ambition to win the Australian Open and the feeling that the Davis Cup team could manage without him in the zonal ties.
Both these, however, were tied to the third but most important factor - his inability to renew his partnership with Paes on the ATP Tour.
"I spoke to Leander during the ATP event and he said that after winning the US Open with (Martin) Damm, it would be difficult for him to break that pairing," Bhupathi said. During the post-match conference in Mumbai on Monday Bhupathi had said that finding a stable doubles partner was a difficult task.
"I would like to have as stable a partner as possible," he said. "There aren't too many doubles specialsts available. I know Mario wants to play 15 doubles events next year but he won't be taking that risk in the Grand Slams. We will meet in Madrid in a couple of weeks and sort things out."
Bhupathi has had a disappointing season this year, winning only in Beijing and Mumbai in the men's doubles.
"Maybe if they (Paes and Damm) had not won the US Open, things might have been different. But fortunately or unfortunately, they won."
But the player's further argument seem to hold no water.
"I think to win a Davis Cup tie a team needs three good singles players. I told this to Anil Khanna last year also," he said on the team's fortunes in the men's world team competition.
"I think the youngsters we have are good enough for the zonal level."
But even with Paes and him guaranteeing the doubles win, India came close to being relegated this season.
And when playing away ties against Japan, Korea or Uzbekistan, which is the situation confronting India in the first round next year, the team has always faced an uphill task.
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