India at the Australian Open

While several of India’s men’s tennis players are involved in a bitter dispute with their national tennis federation, the focus now shifts to Melbourne for the Australian Open. Here’s a look at Indians who we hope will be flying the tricolour high at Rod Laver Arena.

Men’s Singles

2013 is supposed to be the year Yuki Bhambri breaks through to the ATP circuit. The 20-year had a career-best 2012 season, peaking at number 187. However, he failed to make a mark in the qualifying draw, losing in the first round in three sets to the world’s 263rd ranked player. Fortunately for us, Somdev Devvarman is a direct entrant to the main draw by virtue of his protected ranking. Devvarman, who will not have the luxury of his protected ranking when the French Open comes around in May, plays world no. 78 Bjorn Phau in the first round. Phau is a 33-year old German who plays a consistent game, but lacks in major weapons, just like Devvarman. The two have never played before, and if Somdev gets past the veteran, a second round showdown with 24th seeded Jerzy Janowciz looms ahead.

Men’s Doubles

This year, all of India’s top doubles stars are playing with separate partners on the circuit. Leander Paes had the best season of the three in 2012, winning in Melbourne with Czech partner Radek Stepanek. The duo are seeded no. 2 this year, but Stepanek had to pull out of last week’s Sydney event due to an injury. If Stepanek is fit, expect the duo to go deep into the draw and contend for the title.

In the other half of the draw headed by the top-ranked Bryans, Mahesh Bhupathi and Daniel Nestor are seeded fifth, while Rohan Bopanna and Rajeev Ram are seeded no. 12. Both teams are new pairings this season and have not gotten off to the greatest start in 2013. The two are also scheduled to meet in the third round; meaning only one of the pairs can get as far as the quarter finals. New pairings take time to settle down and find their chemistry, and while several other teams in the draw are also new pairings for the year, it’s going to be tough for either of them to come out as champions in two weeks’ time.

Women’s Doubles

We’re still at that time when women’s tennis in India is synonymous with Sania Mirza. It looks like Sania has decided to continue her focus on doubles, having not played any singles in the new season. And her pairing with ‘BFF’ Bethanie Mattek-Sands seems to be getting better. The duo won the WTA Premier event in Brisbane in the first week of the new season, where most of the top players were competing. The fact that they’re good friends will certainly help them, as they plan to play together in 2013. The duo is seeded no. 10 this year, and could run into sixth seeds Liezel Huber and Maria Jose Sanchez Martinez in the third round, and Russians Elena Vesnina (Sania’s ex-doubles partner and former ‘BFF’) and Ekaterina Makarova in the quarters.

Mixed Doubles

The pair to watch out for here is the combination of Sania with world no. 1 Bob Bryan. Bob has been one of the top doubles players for more than a decade and his combination with Sania will certainly be an exciting one. Leander Paes is partnering with Russian Elena Vesnina this time. The pair were finalists at Melbourne and Wimbledon last year and, will be hoping to go one better this time. While it isn’t certain who Bhupathi and Bopanna will be partnering in the mixed at Melbourne at the time of going to press, both are good enough doubles players to be in the running for the mixed title as well.

At the end of 2 weeks, it will be our doubles stars flying our flag high on the tennis map. And then we can go back to the mud-slinging and the politics for the Davis Cup tie in mid-February. Not much has changed since 2012, has it?