Interview with Mahesh Bhupathi
 The
tall, handsome Mahesh Bhupathi from Bangalore created
history last year by winning the mixed doubles in the Wimbledon
along with Leander Paes. He received the Arjuna Award
in 1996. He is also the first Indian to win a Grand Slam when
he took the mixed doubles French Open along with Japan's
Rika Hiraki. Recently, the duo won the prestigious Japan Open
and reached the finals of the ATP World Doubles Championships.
Our Sports Correspondent, J.Vinay caught up with
Mahesh Bhupathi at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association (KSLTA)
and spoke to him about the game and the ATP World Doubles Championship
 What
are your preparations for the coming season?
You should get the system right.
It's a different ball game…
The reason for your early exits in
the US Open and the Olympic Games…
Yes, we had early exits. It was a change of circumstances and bad
luck too. We did the best we could. And talking of Olympics, the better
team won. They played well. We can still do it in Athens!
 Woodies
are the best players in the world. How are they, as a team?
They play the basic doubles game. Each
team has its own style of play.
What do you do to keep your body in fine
shape?
I do a lot of massage, exercising and jogging.
Can you tell me more about your coach?
The coach is the key person. They help us in making a good team become
a great team.
Do you have any strategies when you play
on different surfaces?
We don't have separate strategies. Our approach is the same on
both clay and grass surfaces.
Are you trying to improve on yous singles?
I playing Singles this year. Hope my shoulder holds up. But I am more
focussed on Doubles. We wish to improve our current ranking.
Click here for his profile
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