Sport | Tennis
Bhupathi and Knowles eye future
'We've been good friends for 15 years now and we are looking forward to a long run together'
- Alaric Gomes, Senior Reporter
- Published: 00:32 March 10, 2008
- Mark Knowles (left) of the Bahamas and Mahesh Bhupathi of India after winning the men's doubles title on Saturday.
- Image Credit: Karl Jeffs/Gulf News
Dubai: India's Mahesh Bhupathi and doubles partner Mark Knowles of the Bahamas hope to fast track their off-court chemistry in achieving doubles success on the ATP Men's Tour.
Bhupathi and Knowles went on to win the doubles title at the Barclays Dubai Tennis Championships with a hard-fought yet entertaining final on centre court against the third seeded pairing of Martin Damm and Pavel Vizner.
"We've been good friends for 15 years now and both of us did not have a regular partner for the past two years or so.
"We are looking forward to a long run together," Bhupathi told media after Saturday's final.
Good team
They intended coming together at the end of last season, but a back injury followed by surgery at the Mumbai Open lay the Indian low for a while.
"So we had to somehow work out a schedule when we could start playing together," Knowles said. That union finally happened this year and the pair has tasted considerable success since then. After a semifinal loss to eventual winners Ram and Erlich, the duo went on to win in Memphis prior to travelling to Dubai.
Knowles is the winner of 49 doubles titles, most of these in the company of Daniel Nestor from whom he decided to part ways last season after more than ten years together. Knowles and Bhupathi are currently second in the Stanford ATP Doubles Ranking behind leaders Andy Ram and Jan Erlich.
"Overall we are a good team together. "I have my strong points and Mark has his.
"I have a fine serve and volley game and Mark is so athletic and strong at the net.
"So we try to match each other and complement each other's strengths," Bhupathi stated.
"If at all someone wants to win against us then one of us will have to be off that day," the Indian smiled.
Exciting times
Knowles predicted that they have made a great start and fans can expect even bigger things from them in the future.
"These are exciting times for us.
"For Mahesh to return from back surgery and get going in such superb shape means well for us as a pair.
"I am really excited about us," Knowles said.
Their next assignment will take them to the Pacific Life Open at Indian Wells from March 13-23.
"Both of us are hungry to win and we are working together well and that's all that counts," Bhupathi added.
Share this article
Popular in Sport
-
Football
Goal rush expected at Beach Soccer World Cup
A total of 970 scored in four editions
Sport Editor's choice
-
Manny Pacquiao's political arena
To strengthen his political bid, Pacquiao has set up his own party, the People's Champ Movement
-
Indoor golf in the UAE
Virtual golf: Beat the heat and play your regular round at home
-
Ajtebi's phenomenal assent
The former camel jockey was at the peak of his powers when upstaging Garret Gomez
