Mahesh, in a bid to shore up his singles rankings, has also lined up a some appearances in Challengers in India along with other tournaments. That while helping him to give some respectability to his singles ranking, will leave him with little time for rest. Hence, the need to skip Asia Cup. The All India Tennis Association would do well to view in this in the right perspective since the Asia Cup was almost a stroll for India last year.

As for the question of playing for India in representative events, Mahesh seems to have done his bit by give his all in the Davis Cup. And this year he is also due to play the Asian Games, where he is likely to figure in singles, men's doubles and themixed doubles besides the team event, where India are the defending champions.

For Paes and Bhupathi the year-end break -- till recently a normal affair for them -- is more or less ruled out because there will be tournaments through the year end and the beginning of New Year.

Paes cracked the top 100 once before for a week and is now exactly 100, but for Bhupathi, a respectable singles ranking seems to be slipping away not because of lack of performance but because doubles has taken precedence in the 24-year-old's scheme of things.

"It would have been worth the trouble if he was trying to be a Pete Sampras," Mahesh's father CGK Bhupathi told The Indian Express from Bangalore. "But I feel it is too late in the day. He has the potential to be among the top 50 or even better and I have even advised him that there is no point in hurrying up things. He will reach there, no doubt about that."

According to Bhupathi (Sr), Mahesh has to play doubles to maintain his ranking which in turn will also helphis partner. Both their schedules are made out in such a way that they will play doubles where they had done well last year and if they have not done well in a particular week they split to play Challengers.

"Being number 5 in doubles makes more economic sense than being may be 60 or 70 in singles. He has to make his profession a financially viable one. My responsibility is to make him secure in all sense of the term. Glory in tennis is not confined to singles alone," Bhupathi (Sr) said.

Bhupathi is now playing doubles at New Haven, followed by the US Open. He will be playing almost non-stop till the Bangkok Asian Games in December after which he returns to India to play Challengers.