Chennai: Ace India doubles player Rohan Bopanna is all set to partner US-based Rajeev Ram at the Aircel Chennai Open tennis tournament to be held here from December 31 to January 6. Bopanna and Ram had earlier appeared as a team at the Australian Open in 2008, where they proceeded to the pre-quarters defeating higher ranked teams along the way.
The organisers had earlier announced that the country's top doubles specialist, Mahesh Bhupathi would be teaming up with World No. 5 doubles player, Daniel Nestor of Canada. The Indian combo of Bhupathi and Bopanna, who had won two titles at Dubai and Paris and a runner-up finish at the just-concluded season-ending London Masters, had recently announced their decision to play with different partners in 2013.
Bopanna, along with Bhupathi, had compiled an impressive 34-22 match record and 2-3 in finals, and in the past also collaborated with players like Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and American player Eric Butorac.
Bopanna and Ram, given their complementary styles of playing and strengths in critical areas of the sport, are sure to make a great doubles pair in the season beginner.
Bopanna is considered one of the best doubles players in the world and attained his career-best ranking of eight in March 2012. The 6 feet 4 inch Ram, on the other hand, captured his first ATP World Tour doubles title in Chennai in 2009, and later in Bangkok with partner Butorac. He is a talented singles and doubles player, and won the St Petersburg Open along with Nenad Zimonjic earlier this year.
"Rohan and Rajeev have the potential to be one of the top doubles teams in the world. They have played together before and know each other's game well. We expect them to be a formidable threat at this year's event," Tournament Director, Tom Annear, said.
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