Hope I won’t have to meet Aisam Qureshi before final: Rohan Bopanna

Rohan Bopanna tells DNA that events like Commonwealth Games can make tennis more popular in the country.

You are coming into the Games on a high. How much will the momentum favour you?
It has been a fantastic 2010 so far and I have had a string of good results, it really helps my confidence levels to come into the Games in good nick. Hopefully I will be able to carry on the momentum and put on a good show at the Games. Having beaten some really good competitors thus far, I feel well prepared and I am ready to face the challenges ahead.

How does it feel to be participating in the CWG on home turf for the first time? Will playing at home be an advantage?
It will be a fantastic atmosphere. The crowd in Chennai was terrific during the Davis Cup tie and it really motivated us to do better. I think playing at home there will be a lot of expectations but also a lot of support for Indian athletes, and I think we stand a good chance of winning some medals. Events like this will only help to make sports more popular in our country.

Do you plan to play singles in competitions other than Davis Cup?
I will be focusing on doubles for now. Aisam and I are playing well together and we are looking forward to the season ahead.

How many medals do you think India can win?
All the Indian athletes have been practising hard and are looking forward to the games. Everyone in the team stands a great chance of winning if they play their A game.

There is a possibility of you facing Aisam at some point in the tournament. If you do, how will you approach that match?
We are hoping we don’t meet each other until the final round. But we do understand we are playing for our respective countries and we will give our best shot. It will be a close game since we know each other very well.
A lot of top stars like Murray, Baghdatis and Hewitt are giving the event a miss.
Well I would not like to comment on people not attending the Games. But when it comes to Grand Slams and events like this, anyone is capable of going all the way. All the competitors will be trying very hard to win a medal, so all the matches will be tough. We are not expecting any easy games at the Commonwealth Games.