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NEW DELHI: Soon after she got the wild card entry into the women’s doubles event of the London Olympics on Tuesday, Sania Mirza lashed out at the All India Tennis Association for the way tennis row has been handled.

In a press release, Sania said she had not spoken on the issue until now as she wasn’t assured of her participation in the London Games.

"I find disillusioning the humiliating manner in which I was put up as a bait by AITA to pacify one of the disgruntled stalwarts of Indian tennis" said Sania.

"Since the day AITA announced the team for the Olympics a lot of questions have been raised by friends, colleagues, their parents and of course, by the media. As I thought these questions were purely hypothetical without my having qualified into the London Olympics, I did not think it was appropriate for me to respond to them at that point of time.

"However, now that I am officially a part of the greatest sporting event in the world, I think it is imperative for me to clarify my feelings."

She also praised rookie Vishnu Vardhan, who has been paired with Paes in the men’s doubles event and said that it was ’demeaning for her, Vishnu and Leander’ for Paes to consider playing with Vishnu only if she gave a written assurance to play mixed doubles with him.

"To Leander Paes I would like to point out that Vishnu Vardhan is an extremely talented player, who I had the privilege of partnering. We went on to win a silver medal for India at the 2010 Asian Games, when all the three male stalwarts of Indian tennis had opted to stay away from Guangzhou. I am convinced that he can go one better when pitted with someone as good as Leander as partner. For Leander to consider partnering with Vishnu only if he has a written assurance from me to play mixed (as Vece Uncle has suggested in his television interviews) is, I think demeaning for me, Vishnu and Leander Paes," she said.

Sania was on Tuesday awarded a wild card entry into the women’s doubles event, ending suspense over her participation in the event and also making her eligible to compete in the mixed doubles competition in which India is hopeful of winning a medal.

Sania was handed a wild card along with veteran Rushmi Chakravarthy while Asian Games gold medallist Somdev Devvarman was given a wild card entry in the men’s singles event.

Sania’s wild card entry will now turn the spotlight on a miffed Leander Paes who is yet to take a final call on his participation following the selection row over the men’s doubles team.

In a compromise formula worked out by AITA, Paes was forced to play with 206-ranked Vishnu Vardhan in the men’s doubles event against his wishes and was paired with Sania in the mixed section.

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NEW DELHI: Sania Mirza was on Tuesday awarded a wild card entry into the women’s doubles event of the London Olympics, ending suspense over her participation in the event and also making her eligible to compete in the mixed doubles competition in which India is hopeful of winning a medal.
 
Sania was handed a wild card along with veteran Rushmi Chakravarthy while Asian Games gold medallist Somdev Devvarman was given a wild card entry in the men’s singles event.
 
Sania’s wild card entry will now turn the spotlight on a miffed Leander Paes who is yet to take a final call on his participation following the selection row over the men’s doubles team.
 
In a compromise formula worked out by AITA, Paes was forced to play with 206-ranked Vishnu Vardhan in the men’s doubles event against his wishes and was paired with Sania in the mixed section.
 
Paes had however not given his nod to the compromise deal, raising speculations on whether the veteran tennis player would indeed carry out his threat of boycotting the Games.
 
The two wild card entries meant India will be fielding its largest ever tennis contingent in the Olympics.
 
All India Tennis Association has received a letter from International Tennis Federation (ITF) president Francesco Ricci Bitti, stating that wild card applications for Sania and Somdev have been accepted.
 
Paes had demanded a written assurance from Sania that she would play only with him instead of Mahesh Bhupathi in the mixed doubles.
 
Paes, who it is believed, was waiting for announcement of the wild card, will now have to clear his stand quickly.
 
Sania, too, kept mum on the issue till now as she was not consulted before deciding the combination and it will be interesting to see if she also takes a stand on her combination with Paes.
 
While the Hyderabadi had earlier expressed her desire to partner Bhupathi, the AITA broke the recently-crowned French Open combination to appease Paes.
 
AITA had to bow down to Bhupathi and Bopanna’s demand that they be paired as team for the men’s doubles event, following their unwillingness to play with Paes.
 
Paes was then paired with Vardhan in lieu of a mixed doubles pairing with Sania.
 
Thirty-two teams will contest in the men’s and women’s doubles, with 24 direct acceptances and eight ITF places in both events.
 
Direct acceptances were based on the combined world rankings of each team on June 11, with each player using the better of their singles and doubles world ranking.
 
Any player ranked in the doubles Top 10 on June 11 was eligible for direct acceptance with a partner of any ranking.
 
Mixed doubles has been included in the Olympics for the first time since 1924.
 
Entries for the 16-team event will be determined on site from those players already participating in singles or doubles.
 
Teams have to be nominated by their National Olympic Committee by July 31. There will be 12 direct acceptances based on the combined world rankings of each team on June 11, and four ITF Places.