Rohan-Hesh need to enter final to qualify for Games

[1]

The ongoing French Open will decide the Olympic fate of Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi. The pair has to make it, at least, to the final to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

The ongoing grand slam at Roland Garros offers the last chance for the Indian duo to ensure their place at the Games as the ranking at the end of the event will be considered for direct qualification.

According to ITF rules, only the top-10 players in the June 11 ranking list will get direct entry.

Bopanna (4970 ATP points) is currently ranked 12th, while Bhupathi (4480) is a place behind him. On the other hand, Leander Paes is sitting pretty in top 10 (seventh) and his performance on red clay is not going to affect his chances of playing his sixth Games.

The veteran, who has 6375 ATP points, is defending just 90 points. Even if he crashes out in the first round, Paes has enough points to remain in top 10 and thus get the privilege to pick his London partner, subject to approval from the All India Tennis Association.

For Bhupathi and Bopanna to qualify, the onus is on the latter. Bopanna is defending 360 points - courtesy his quarterfinal appearance last year with Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi - and requires another 500 points to surpass Robert Lindstedt, who is currently ranked 10th with 5470 points.

The winners of the French Open will get 2000 points, while runners-up and semifinalists will get 1200 and 720 points respectively.

Hesh and Bhopanna will also be tracking the progress of Robert and his partner Horia Tecau, seeded fifth at the Open, as the Swedish-Romanian pair’s progress beyond the quarterfinals will spoil the Indians’ chances.

Under pressure, the Indians begin their campaign against the French pair of Marc Gicquel and Edouard Roger-Vasselin on Thursday.

If Bopanna fails to accomplish his mission, it will be a double blow for Bhupathi as Sania Mirza’s early exit from the French Open doubles is expected to push her out of top 10.

Bhupathi was tipped to partner Sania in the mixed doubles. However, Aita has already applied for a wild card for Sania.

Men’s doubles top 13

1 Max Mirnyi (Blr) 9450
1 Daniel Nestor (Can) 9450
3 Bob Bryan (USA) 8430
3 Mike Bryan (USA) 8430
5 Michael Llodra (FRA) 7120
6 N. Zimonjic (SRB) 7100
7 Leander Paes (Ind) 6375
8 M. Fyrstenberg (Pol) 5905
8 M. Matkowski (Pol) 5905
10 R. Lindstedt (Swe) 5470
11 Horia Tecau (Rou) 5470
12 R. Bopanna (Ind) 4970
13 M. Bhupathi (Ind) 4480