TheSportsCampus

Mahesh's early days:
Mahesh's predilection for tennis began during his childhood days, when he would accompany his father, C.G. Krishna Bhupathi (a well known coach in Indian Tennis circuit) for practice every day. His childhood in his father's words was one which encompassed two things - tennis and sleeping - and Mahesh was good in both!

Mahesh received his education in Dubai, Muscat and US where he made his mark in the University of Mississippi team. He started his international tennis career at the tender age of 14 and has steadily gone a notch higher each time, breaking records with a nonchalance and ease that comes naturally to the gifted Mahesh.

Professional Career;
Turning professional in 1995, Mahesh is considered to be one of the best doubles tennis players in the world with 10 Grand Slam titles to his credit. His ma jor wins in mixed doubles have won him titles such as "Perfect Partner" and many leading ladies of Tennis have relied on this prodigy to win Grand Slam titles. (In mixed double Bhupathi partnered Ai Sugiyama in four tournaments, Elena Likhovtseva in 10, Mirjana Lucic and Lisa Raymond in three each, Rika Hiraki in two, and Caroline Vis, Rennae Stubbs, Anabela Ellwood, Martina Navratilova, Jelena Dokic, Irola Tulyaganova, Mary Pierce and Daniela Hantuchova in one each).

Even though through the course of his career, the spot light may have been focused on his more prominent partner Leander Paes, Mahesh proved to the world his worth by becoming the first Indian to win a Grand Slam title. He partnered Japan's Rika Hiraki to win the 1997 French Open mixed doubles title.

In spite of the various differences that may have arisen between the legendary duo, Mahesh and Leander remain one of the most accomplished pairs in doubles.

In 1999, Bhupathi won three doubles titles with Paes including Roland Garros and Wimbledon. He and Leander reached the finals of all four Grand Slams, the first time such a feat had been achieved in the Open Era since 1952. On April 26 that year, they became the World No.1 Double's Team. The duo went on to win Wimbledon and French Open while Bhupathi partnered Japan's Ai Sugiyama to clinch the U. S Open mixed double crown.

Besides the glory he earned while teaming with Leander, Bhupathi made his mark in mixed doubles as well by winning 6 Grand Slams titles. Mahesh has also represented India on more than 50 occasions in the Davis Cup winning more than 60% of his matches.

Despite the still undisclosed differences that had crept between the "fantastic duo", Paes and Bhupathi buried the hatchet and came together with the aim of bringing glory to the nation in the 2008 Beijing Olympics (attaining the second seed). The duo had a good run until they ran into an inspired Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka in the semis.

Mahesh off the courts:
He has pioneered various sports foundations like the FIST academy (Foundation for Indian Sporting Talent) and the Mittal Championship Trust. By also starting The Tennis Village, India's most comprehensive in house training facility, Mahesh has etched a legacy for himself. Besides being an extremely popular coaching centre, the Village more importantly plays host to the Apollo Tyres' Mission 2018 which aims to produce India's first singles Grand Slam Champion by the year 2018.

His company Globosport has been a pioneer in India and has been instrumental in managing the careers of many Indian athletes (including a certain Sania Mirza).

Birth Date: June 7, 1974                                                           Birth Place: Chennai, India
Residence: Bangalore, India                                                    Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight: 89 kg (200 lb; 14.0 st)                                                   Turned pro: 1995 
Playing style: Right-handed; two-handed backhand                 Career record (singles): 10-28
Highest Ranking (singles): 217                                                Career record (doubles): 550-269
Highest Ranking (doubles): 1

• He was the first Indian to win a Grand Slam tournament.
• He and Leander became the first doubles team to reach finals of all four Grand Slams, the first time such a feat has been achieved in the Open era and the first time since 1952.
• Bhupathi completed a career Grand Slam in mixed doubles. He became the eight male player in history to achieve this.
• He was bestowed with Padma Shri,2001
• Honoured with ‘sports people for Change' - Karmaveer Puraskaar,07,iCONGO-Confederation of NGOs
• First Indian to win a Grand Slam title by winning the French Open mixed doubles title in 1997.

Mixed Doubles
• Winner 1997 French Open (with Rika Hiraki)
• Winner 1999 U.S. Open (with Ai Sugiyama)
• Winner 2002 Wimbledon (with Elena Likhovtseva)
• Winner 2005 Wimbledon (with Mary Pierce)
• Winner 2005 U.S. Open (with Daniela Hantuchova)
• Winner 2006 Australian Open (with Martina Hingis)
• Winner 2009 Australian Open (with Sania Mirza)

Mens Doubles
• Winner 1999 French Open (with Leander Paes)
• Winner 1999 Wimbledon (with Leander Paes)
• Winner 2001 French Open (with Leander Paes)
• Winner 2002 U.S. Open (with Max Mirnyi)

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahesh_Bhupathi
http://www.iloveindia.com/sports/tennis/players/mahesh-bhupathi.html
http://living.oneindia.in/celebrity/sports/mahesh-bhupati.html
http://www.globosportworld.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=39&Itemid=57