Bhupathi exploring legal options against AITA's ouster

Veteran tennis star Mahesh Bhupathi threatened to drag the All India Tennis Association to the court for ousting him from India's Davis Cup squad, along with Rohan Bopanna, saying he is exploring whether the national federation's move is legal.

The AITA, on Saturday, said Bhupathi and Bopanna will not be considered for selection till June 30, 2014. The decision came hours after India's young Davis Cup team took an unassailable 3-0 lead against New Zealand in Chandigarh.

India went on to win the tie 5-0.

Bhupathi is scheduled to address a press conference in Mumbai ON Tuesday to give his side of the story and reveal his next move.

"Rohan has played for India for 10 years and I have played now for about 18 years now. And to get slapped with something like this, I take this as rough," Bhupathi said.

"We are exploring it; we don't know yet, but I don't think what they have done and the way they have done it, is fully legal. So we are exploring it what they have done is right and obviously if not legal, we are gonna go after it," he added.

Asked if he felt the AITA action was because of personal vendetta, Bhupathi replied, "Ya, believe so.

"It's been going on with me and association and heads of the federation for years now. I am just upset and afraid that my friend and partner Rohan has got caught in the middle of this dirty game. I have been quiet for a long time."

The AITA had chosen Bhupathi to play with Leander Paes at the London Olympics but both he and Bopanna refused the pairing and instead forced the AITA to pair them for the Games.

The AITA had to accede to their demand at that time but has now taken the action, saying it will not tolerate indiscipline.

Both Paes and Somdev Devvarman had made themselves unavailable for the tie, but the AITA said their act did not amount to indiscipline as they had requested to be excused from the tie.