Mahesh Bhupathi – An Ace Indian Tennis Player
Born on 7th June 1974, Mahesh Shrinivas Bhupathi is a professional Indian tennis player. He is majorly known for his best played doubles in the 1990s and 2000s. He was the first Indian to win a Grand Slam Tournament with Rika Hiraki. He also won the Australian Open Mixed Doubles in 2006. Mahesh Bhupathi is considered as the most dominant doubles player in sport’s history. Until now, he has won 4 men’s double and 8 mixed doubles Grand Slam titles.
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Early life
Bhupathi, who was encouraged and trained by his father for playing tennis from the younger age, has completed his outstanding 2-year career at University of Mississippi. There he earned single and doubles all America honor in 1995. He began his professional career in the same year.
He has been India’s National Champion in 1994 and 1995. He was also a member of Indian Davis Cup Team from 1995 to 2011. Later in 2005, he won a Grand Slam being the first Indian to be rewarded with it when he played the mixed double French open crown along with Rika Hiraki from Japan.
Partnership career
In 1994, Bhupathi started a partnership with countryman Leander Paes. They together reached eight tournament finals and captured six Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) doubles titles out of them. In 1999, they reached in the finals of all four Grand Slam events, wining the two including French Open and Wimbledon. The duo was going through a perfect partnership but due to some personal issues, the partnership dissolved. They played together for following years including the 2001 French open and won it for the 3rd time. Bhupathi stood at his place being at the top for collecting the ATP Doubles every year but soon his game fell off.
He was considered to be the most successful in his Mixed Double Slam career. In the same section he won 6 doubles Grand Slam titles from 1999-2006 with five different partners. In addition to this, he also won 3 other Grand Slam tournaments that gave him a career in mixed double Grand Slams. He later partnered with Sania Mirza in Australian Open (2009) and French Open (2012) mixed doubles championships.
Major Award
In 2001, he was also awarded with Padma Shri, the greatest civilian award in India.
Personal life
Bhupathi got married with model Shvetha Jaishankar in 2003, but they got separated in 2010. Later in 2011, he married Lara Dutta at Bandra, Mumbai. They have daughter Siara who was born on 20th January 2012.
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