Mumbai:
In spite of the absence of top singles players Andy Murray and Lleyton Hewitt, doubles
specialist Mahesh Bhupathi expects a tough challenge for the Indian men players in the Commonwealth Games.
"I know top singles players Murray and Hewitt are not coming but we are expecting a tough challenge," said Mahesh who last week brought India back from the brink with another veteran Leander Paes in the Davis Cup play-off clash against Brazil at Chennai.
"Actually I had asked for the list of players a couple of days ago but haven't got that yet. I know a couple of players from Australia are coming. They told me at the US Open. A couple of Scottish and English teams are also coming," the 36-year-old Mahesh told reporters here on Thursday.
He was not eager to talk about the scandal-ridden run-up to the Games by saying there were so many controversies and did not have an update.
Mahesh is tuning up for the doubles contest in the Delhi Games by partnering Paes in next week's Thailand Open and pointed out that the duo has not lost in Davis Cup doubles
play in 17 years.
Mahesh praised the efforts of the entire Indian team in fighting back from a deep hole and vanquishing Brazil in Chennai to book a berth in 2011 World Group.
"It was Indian tennis's most memorable win so far. It was tough to come back from 0-2 down and all four guys did well. It is great to be back in World Group," he said.
Mahesh was also very pleased with the progress of India's top two singles players - Somdev Devvarman and the big-built Rohan Bopanna, describing the former as the rock
of the team and the latter as a late bloomer.
"He (Somdev) is our rock. He is our top 100 player. He's just three years old on the (ATP) Tour. We look forward to at least one point (win), if not two, during Davis Cup from him."
"Rohan can always cause an upset. He always had the talent. He is kind of a late bloomer," said the winner of seven Grand Slam doubles and mixed doubles titles.
Talking about the improved showing of Bopanna and his Pakistan doubles partner Aisam Quereshi, Mahesh hoped the duo - who reached their first career Grand Slam doubles final at
the US Open - would maintain the same form.
"They (Bopanna and Quereshi) have made the transition and hopefully they will keep up the form and stay there," Mahesh