Sania Mirza to decide mixed doubles partner for 2016 Rio Olympics: Rohan Bopanna

New Delhi: Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna said it is up to Sania Mirza to decide whether she wants to partner him or Leander Paes in mixed doubles at next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Sania partnered Paes at the 2012 London Games where the pair lost in the quarterfinals of the event.

“In mixed doubles, it is up to Sania to take that decision. She is No.1 in the world, she is out there playing the best tennis of her life. So she has to make that call on who she wants to play with or who she is comfortable with,” Bopanna said at the Delhi Lawn Tennis Association (DLTA) Complex on Tuesday.

“Obviously, I want to play with Sania, Leander wants to play with Sania, so it depends on who she wants to play with, that is the bottomline.”

When it comes to men’s doubles, it is likely Paes will partner Bopanna for the best chance of bringing back a medal from the discipline as Mahesh Bhupathi is currently not playing on the circuit and is concentrating on his venture — International Premier Tennis League (IPTL).

“Of course, if you take Rio, apart from Leander and me there is no one else playing doubles. If I am not mistaken, to qualify for the Olympics you have to be a combined 60 or 65 (in the rankings). So there is no other player in that category,” added Bopanna, who is ranked World No.13.