Now Paes threatens to pull out of Olympics

"If Mahesh or Rohan refuse to play with me for our country, then I am happy to play with the next best player that the AITA decides on. It would not be acceptable, if with my ranking as the best Indian tennis player, I give up the best option of partner for winning a medal for my country and am made to play the Olympics with a player ranked 207/306 in the world while the No.13 and No. 15 ranked players form another team together based on their refusal to play with me," he wrote in his letter to AITA.

The junior players referred to in the letter are Vishnu Vardhan (ranked 207th) and teenager Yuki Bhambri (306th). "If this is the case then for the sake of Indian Tennis and to relieve the AITA in regards to the selection of the team, I have no other option but to withdraw from the Olympics. This decision is not taken lightly and with any rancor. We cannot be condoning or rewarding the drama enacted by Mahesh and Rohan. This would be a bad precedent for current and future sports persons (particularly tennis players) in our country," he added.

With uncertainty continuing over the participation of three top players, the AITA decided to defer the team`s announcement till Thursday, the last day to submit entries to the International Tennis Federation (ITF). AITA officials are making last ditch efforts to persuade Bhupathi and Bopanna to abide by their decision. All three players are in London. Paes though reiterated that he is ready to partner Bhupathi or Bopanna.

"Coming back to the men`s doubles, I am comfortable to partner Mahesh or Rohan for the forthcoming Olympics." Both Bhupathi and Bopanna have made it clear that they will not be Paes` doubles partner for the next month`s Games. The two players insist that their combination is the best option for the country as they have prepared together for over six months. Meanwhile, S M Krishna, the External Affairs Minister and Honorary Life President of AITA, has appealed to India`s top tennis players to forget their personal disparities and play in the "interest of the nation".

He said the players should never compromise the image of India for personal issues. Krishna stepped in a day after Union Sports Minister Ajay Maken backed out from the ongoing tennis impasse. Paes said "representing India at the Olympics is a cherished dream, and one in which I have agreed to participate unconditionally, with the understanding that we would aim to put our best team forward and target a medal.