New Delhi: Leander Paes should stick to the deuce court and Sania Mirza should support him from the left side with her “solid ground strokes” when they compete in the mixed doubles event of the London Olympics, Indian team captain S P Misra has suggested.

Sania’s preferred court-side, like Paes, is the deuce (right side) and she is keen that she plays in Olympics from that side of the court. The two players are yet to decide on the choice of the court side and work out a strategy for the big event. The seven-member Indian tennis contingent will assemble in London on July 23.

Sania had played from the left side (advantage court) at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the duo had crashed out in the quarter finals after losing to Scotland’s Colin Fleming and Jocelyn Rae. But they were gold-medallists at the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

Misra, who is also the tennis team’s captain at the Olympics, says Paes should continue to play from the right side. “Sania has solid ground strokes. I feel she should play from the ad court. Sania returns well also, so she should support Leander from that side. He has always played from the deuce court and that is his strength,” he said.

However, Misra said gelling well won’t be a problem for the two veterans although they will have only 4-5 days to do so. He added, “India have a good chance to win a medal in the mixed doubles.”

The Davis Cup non-playing captain also felt that Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna too stand a good chance. “They have done reasonably well on the tour. They have a point to prove but they stand a good chance. They will be playing against players, who are not regular partners on the tour,” he said. (PTI)