Mahesh Bhupathi announced on Monday that due to tendonitis, he would not play in the $416,000 Chennai Open 2007 ATP World Tour event in the New Year here from January 1 to 7.
CHENNAI: Indian doubles ace Mahesh Bhupathi has pulled out of the Chennai ATP Open tennis due to tendonitis of the right wrist. A press release from the organisers said the Indian, who has been training in London since the Doha Asian Games, developed “a niggle” in his wrist during training.
Doctors have advised Bhupathi rest for four-five days after which his rehabilitation and training will begin. Earlier in the day, a press release had said Mahesh would be partnering Simon Aspelin of Sweden in doubles in the January 1-7 event. Bhupathi, who is world number 30 in doubles rankings, also did not play in the tournament last year.
Four-time doubles winner Leander Paes has already skipped the event and has decided to play in the Doha Open with his regular partner Martin Damm of Czech Republic. Paes announced the decision on Sunday that he would be playing in Doha to kick off the new year on the Tour.
It was in India’s first ATP International Series tennis tournament here in 1997, that Paes and
Bhupathi had risen to great heights as a formidable doubles pair. They went on to win Grand Slams after three doubles titles in a row in Chennai in 1997, ‘98 and ‘99. They clinched another title here in the 2002 edition. Both had also competed in Chennai in the singles main draw but with little success. However, Paes had managed to reach the semifinals in 1998. Bhupathi’s best was a second round loss to Thomas Enqvist in the 1996 New Delhi edition.
This is the first time both Paes and Bhupathi will not be seen in action at the Chennai Open.
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