Way to go, Sania

Sania Mirza seems to have run out of luck as her rivals have figured out her game. She lost early in the US Open, and is out of the top-50 for the first time since last year. She has also failed to live up to her performance last year in the run-up to the US Open. But her mentor Mahesh Bhupathi begs to differ.

“She’s 20 years old, people normally stagnate when they’re 45, right? So give her a break,” said Bhupathi when reporters asked if he thought she was faltering.

Even as Bhupathi backed Sania, he had some tough words for India's gen-next comprising Prakash Amritraj, Rohan Bopanna and Karan Rastogi. The trio is vying for wildcard entries for the Kingfisher Airlines Open in Mumbai at the end of this month, despite some ordinary performances on the circuit.

“Rohan and Prakash did well in Chennai, they beat the guys in the top under, they won one match each. So it’s an opportunity for them... if they’re not up to the challenge, they need someone to give them a yelling,” said Bhupathi.

Bhupathi, who recently unveiled the logo of the upcoming ATP event in Mumbai along with Kingfisher Airlines CEO Vijay Mallya, will himself be in action at the Open. In all likelihood, he will be partnering Croat Mario Ancic in the tournament's doubles. But Bhupathi has not ruled out partnering Leander Paes in the future.

“We’re definitely playing together in December at the Asian Games, as for other tournaments we have to wait and see,” he said.

Bhupathi has had a dismal year in the doubles circuit so far with no regular partner, and teaming back with Paes could be the shot in the arm that Bhupathi is looking for.