Mahesh Bhupathi

Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles were the third team to clinch their place at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, where they will make their second straight appearance (1-2 record) at the circuit finale.

2009 Review

The veteran duo captured one title and reached three finals together during the season with runner-up efforts at the Australian (l. to Bryans) and US Opens (l. to Dlouhy-Paes).

In April at Barcelona, they defeated the Bryans in the SF before falling to Nestor-Zimonjic in final. On grass, they advanced to QF at Wimbledon (l. to Moodie-Norman in five sets) and in August they dropped only one set in four matches en route to title at Rogers Cup in Montreal. They beat Nestor-Zimonjic in SF and Mirnyi-A. Ram in final.

In final Grand Slam tournament at US Open, they won four of five matches in straight sets en route to title match, only to lose to Dlouhy-Paes in three sets. They played in two tournaments after US Open, highlighted by semi-final at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (l. to Benneteau-Tsonga).

Finals History

Bhupathi and Knowles compiled a 1-2 record at the 2008 season climax in Shanghai and failed to progress past the round-robin group stage.

The 35-year-old Bhupathi, who first appeared with Leander Paes at the 1997 season climax, will be making his ninth appearance (also 1998-2000, 2002-2004, 2008). He has reached the final on three occasions in 1997, 1999-2000 (w/Paes).

Full name is Mahesh Shrinivas Bhupathi. Played at the University of Mississippi from 1994-95, earning singles and doubles All-America honors in 1995. Teamed with Ali Hamadeh to win the NCAA doubles championship in 1995 and finished as the No. 1 player in doubles and No. 3 in singles. A member of the Indian Davis Cup team since 1995 and has a 31-19 career record in 30 ties (23-5 in doubles). On Mar. 26, 2001, he and Paes received India's highest honor, the Padma Shri, at a ceremony in New Delhi (India's equivalent of the American Medal of Honor or the British Knighthood). The Padma Shri is awarded to Indian citizens in recognition of their distinguished service to the nation. Won gold medal in doubles in Asian Games in December 2006 (w/Paes). Wife, Sveta (married Nov. 24, 2002).

1997 -- Captured six ATP doubles titles in seven finals (w/Paes) and reached ATP World Doubles Chp. final...Won mixed doubles title at Roland Garros (w/Hiraki)...

1998 -- Compiled 6-2 record in finals (w/Paes)...

1999 -- Won three doubles titles, including Roland Garros and Wimbledon (w/Paes)... Became first team to reach finals of all four Grand Slams in same year since 1952...Reached No. 1 individually in doubles on April 26 and finished as No. 1 ranked doubles team...Lost in final of ATP World Doubles Chp. in Hartford...Won US Open mixed doubles (w/Sugiyama)...Underwent right shoulder surgery on Nov. 30...Earned a career-high $618,004...

2000 -- Returned from shoulder surgery in May...Won two doubles titles in four finals... Runner-up at ATP World Doubles Chp. in Bangalore...

2001 -- Won four doubles titles in six finals (w/Paes)...Won second Roland Garros title (w/Paes)...

2002 -- Won five doubles titles and a career-best 56 matches...Won US Open (w/Mirnyi)...Captured third Grand Slam mixed doubles title at Wimbledon (w/Likhovtseva)...

2003 -- Won five of an ATP-high nine finals to finish No. 2 in ATP Doubles Race (w/Mirnyi)...Also captured three AMS titles and reached Wimbledon final...Compiled 1-2 mark in round robin play at Tennis Masters Cup Houston...

2004 -- Won five doubles titles with four partners...Qualified for Tennis Masters Cup in Houston (w/Mirnyi) and went 1-2 in round robin play...Advanced to SF at Athens Olympics (w/Paes)...

2005 -- Won Sydney title (w/Woodbridge) and mixed doubles titles at Wimbledon (w/Pierce) and US Open (w/Hantuchova)...

2006 -- Won back-to-back titles in Beijing and Mumbai (w/Ancic)... Claimed Roland Garros mixed doubles title (w/Hingis)...

2007 -- Finished in Top 30 individually for seventh consecutive year at No. 21 and 10th overall. Partnered Czech Radek Stepanek during first half of season and reached Dubai final, SF at Roland Garros and Munich, and QF at Australian Open. Partnered Czech Pavel Vizner for first time and won AMS Montreal title and his 40th career ATP title and 11th AMS shield. Two weeks later, won New Haven title (w/ Zimonjic).

2008 -- The Indian native teamed with Mark Knowles to finish No. 3 in ATP Doubles Race. Began with SF at Australian Open and later won back-to-back titles with Knowles in Memphis (d. Ratiwatana-Ratiwatana) and Dubai (d. Damm-Vizner). Beginning at Memphis, won 14 of 16 matches ending with runner-up finish at AMS Miami (l. to Bryans). Reached final at AMS Monte-Carlo (l. to Nadal-Robredo) but did not win another match until AMS Toronto (QF). Followed with SF at AMS Cincinnati and final at New Haven (l. to Melo-Sa). Made strong year-end finish with SF in Vienna, runner-up at AMS Madrid and title in Basel. His 44 doubles titles is No. 5 among active players in Open Era list. Qualified for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai and went 1-2 in round robin play. The Czech Republic native teamed with Indian veteran Leander Paes to earn his first Grand Slam crown at Roland Garros...Also reachd the SFs at the Australian Open and Monte Carlo (w/Paes).

2009

The Indian native teamed with Bahamas veteran Mark Knowles to capture one title and reach three finals together during the season with runner-up efforts at the Australian (l. to Bryans) and US Opens (l. to Dlouhy-Paes)...In April at Barcelona, they defeated the Bryans in SF before falling to Nestor-Zimonjic in final...On grass, they advanced to QF at Wimbledon (l. to Moodie-Norman in five sets) and in August they dropped only one set in four matches en route to title at Rogers Cup in Montreal...They beat Nestor-Zimonjic in SF and Mirnyi-A. Ram in final...In final Grand Slam tournament at US Open, they won four of five matches in straight sets en route to title match, only to lose to Dlouhy-Paes in three sets...They played in two tournaments after US Open leading into season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, highlighted by semi-final at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Shanghai (l. to Benneteau-Tsonga).