Indian tennis veteran Mahesh Bhupathi, teaming up with compatriot Saketh Myneni, won a hard-fought doubles pre-quarter-final on Wednesday to set up a mouth-watering clash with former partner Leander Paes at the ATP Chennai Open.
Paes, teaming up with South African partner Raven Klaasen, will face-off against Bhupathi-Myneni in the quarter-finals on Thursday.
Bhupathi, considered India's top doubles specialist, returned to courts after March 2014, when he played in the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Miami with Kevin Anderson.
Despite winning a staggering 52 career doubles titles he seemed out of sorts and short on practice for the tournament.
He double faulted on the match-point and the end was dragged for long as they pair needed 92 minutes to emerge victorious.
Teaming up with Paes, Bhupathi won the 2011 Aircel Chennai Open title when India's most famous doubles pair reunited on the professional tour at the start of the 2011 season after a gap of nine years, to win a record fifth title in the event.
The Sood brothers were lucky to play Wednesday’s main draw match as an alternative after Alejandro Falla and Alejandro Gonzalez withdrew due to a shoulder injury to the latter.
Image: Mahesh Bhupathi of India
Photograph: Robert Prezioso/Getty Images