This will be your second Olympics. You've come a long way as a player from 2012, isn't it?

Representing India was always a dream. But once that happens, which is Davis Cup for us, you have bigger dreams. Your goals change. Obviously, Olympics being the pinnacle of all sports, it's a great place to play for your country. And from 2012 to 2016, as a player I've matured a lot as well. I have more experience now going into a mega event like the Olympics. That has really helped me.

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Your men's doubles partner, Leander Paes, will be participating in his seventh Games. Just as a fellow athlete, how do you see this achievement of his?

Well, he's definitely one of the best athletes that India has produced, there's no doubt about that. Going to seven Olympics is a tremendous achievement for him. I don't think it's very easy to do that as an athlete. He's maintained himself really well, fitness-wise. So yes, all credit to him.

How much did playing the Davis Cup tie against Korea together help you guys tune both on and off the court?

It did help. But it wasn't much about the time we spent on the court. The bigger aspect was the time we spent a few days before the match, practising together, getting our game styles to somehow coordinate and match. I think that's what worked more than the match itself.

So was that time off the court more crucial?

It's very important. As a tennis player, you keep changing partners all the time, you keep picking your own partners all the time. So to match your game styles, to bring out the best in each other is where tennis wins as a partnership. That's something that even when we go to Rio, the four-five days that we have before that, we will have to work on our game and find a way to bring that strength in each other.

Like you mentioned in your letter to AITA, your and Paes's styles of play are not complementary, and thus you wanted Saketh Myneni as your partner. Despite that, do you believe you and Paes can do well in Rio?

The decision has been made. There is nothing out there that can change this decision now. Leander and I are going, and now we need to really find a way to match our game styles together, find the right combination and think about how we are going to conquer our styles in a way that it is positive. Accordingly, we need to work our dice on the court. Those few days of good practice before the Games will help as a team to motivate each other and play some good tennis when the time comes.

But at some level, did AITA going against your wishes drop your motivation levels for Rio, considering you had earned a right to pick your partner?

Look, right now there is no use of dwelling in the past. As I said, everybody needs to be on a positive place right now. The decision was made, and as athletes, we know that success comes only with a positive attitude. So no matter what happened in the past or what's going to happen in the future, you have to stay in the present. And at the moment, the scenario is that Leander and I are going, and we're excited about the fact that we have a great chance of winning a medal for India.

How realistic is a medal with Sania Mirza in mixed doubles? You guys complement each other really well both in terms of game styles and chemistry, isn't it?

I think the mixed doubles is going to be the toughest event in Rio, for sure. Especially with the third set being a 10-point tie-break, we really need to ensure that we practice well even though our game styles match together. We need to really combine well as a team. It's going to come down to one or two points in the end, and that's going to make the difference. Plus, some luck in the draw will help too.

Is an Olympics medal your most cherished dream at the moment, or a Grand Slam title?

Well right now, my next big event is the Olympics. So, obviously, an Olympic medal is the main goal at the moment.

And despite the controversial build-up, are you hopeful of achieving that goal?

I believe that you have to forget what happened in the past. You just have to go and enjoy as an athlete, push yourself and put your best foot forward since you're representing your country. It's all about thriving on that pressure and playing some great tennis. One thing is for sure, we're going there to put our 200 per cent, give our everything on the court and fight it out. We're going there to win a medal for India, and that's the mindset that we are taking there.

In your previous interview with this paper, you had said a top-10 ranking was your goal in 2016. Did it come as a satisfaction or relief when you broke into the top-10 earlier this year?

It was definitely a satisfaction. The fact that my goal was to get into the top 10, especially to ensure that India had a place in Rio and a guaranteed men's doubles spot. That was something which was always on my mind, and I was really pleased to have achieved it.

What would you attribute this rise in rankings to?

I think it's majorly due to the fact that I have been having one partner for a while now. That makes a big difference, playing with a sustained partner. You know exactly what to expect from him, and he also would know what to expect from me as a doubles partner. It then becomes easier to train, have goals together and work your way towards that. So that has been the real difference in this past year or so for me.