Chennai: Winning doubles matches is an art Mahesh Bhupathi mastered more than a decade ago. He has managed to maintain his position of being one of the world?s top five doubles players over a considerable period of time. Now, in a span of three years, he has established himself as a successful businessman, utilising his star status.

Busy meeting corporates when not practising tennis or playing matches, time is always at a premium when Bhupathi is in India. The country?s first Grand Slam champion still agreed to spare half an hour for The Telegraph Thursday morning to discuss sport and business.

The following are excerpts

Q What guides you while looking for a new doubles partner?

A I look for basically two things. Someone who can play well from the forehand court because I prefer the left court. Also, someone who has got the experience of winning Grand Slams and Masters Series meets as my aim is to win as many of these big tournaments as possible.

So Todd Woodbridge fits the bill perfectly?

I was keen on playing with Leander (Paes) this year? we discussed it a couple of times but finally it didn?t work out. Considering that I didn?t have a partner (for 2005) till the end of November, I would say this is a good arrangement. But Todd wasn?t my first choice.

Why do you say that? Woodbridge is one of the most successful doubles players of all time with heaps of big titles under his belt?

True, be we haven?t done well as a team. We?ve played thrice but not won a single title yet. We have to work hard to cultivate our partnership.

Leander feels someone over 30 who has been on the Tour for 10-15 years, should ideally have a younger partner?

I don?t agree with that theory. I think experience counts more than age.

You have been backing women?s tennis a lot. Any particular reason?

I believe India?s next tennis star will be a woman. We?ve got three exciting talents right now in Sania (Mirza) and the Uberoi sisters (Shikha and Neha). Sania?s already beaten a top-100 player, Shikha won around at the US Open after coming through the qualifiers, Neha?s got huge potential too. The two (US-based) sisters have got the permission to play for India and once they start winning matches donning Indian colours, people will know how good they are. They have the ability to take Indian tennis to a different level.

You are not optimistic about our next generation of male players?

From what we?ve seen this week, there?s a big gap between Indian men and women potential-wise. It?s not that our system produced champions consistently over the years. A Vijay Amritraj and a Ramesh Krishnan surfaced from nowhere, then a Leander Paes or a Mahesh Bhupathi. I just hope another world-class player emerges sooner than later.

You are an active player, a businessman and a family man. How do you balance the three roles?

It?s not easy, for sure. My first love is tennis, I just love the game, love travelling. My wife (Shweta) travels with me extensively, so family life is taken care of. Yes, I have to put in a lot of extra work for my company, which normally I wouldn?t have to do. But I have grown to like it. After all, this is something, which will sustain me for the next 20 years.

You?ve said there?s still three-four years of tennis left in you. Don?t you think a time might come in that period when your company work will affect your tennis?

See, ATP cut down prize-money in doubles two years ago. The focus for me is now mainly on the four Grand Slams, nine Masters Series meets and three-four World Series events like this one in Chennai. So we are talking of 20-22 weeks a year. The rest of the year I?m free to pursue my other interests.

Say, for example, you have a big final coming up in Paris and you get a call about an important business meeting or a financial deal?

Most of the corporates/clients I deal with understand how important tennis is for me. Even if such a clash comes up, I know they will wait for my tennis to finish. Shweta has been extremely supportive and very much hands-on with company work. She?s the one who put the company policies in place and handles the finances as well. I?m also lucky to have some young people working for the company who are very committed and efficient.

You?ve brought two WTA meets to India, what next? Do you have an ATP event in mind?

I am done for 2005 but yes, an ATP meet is in my thoughts for the future. It?s very difficult to get a new event scheduled in the calendar, unless some regular meet gives up its slot or agrees to sell it to a second party. It?s actually tougher getting a slot in the ATP calendar than convincing sponsors to back the event.

You are making inroads into the entertainment industry too?

Yes, we have two divisions. Globosport manages and promotes sportspersons and events, while Grapevine takes care of the entertainment side. We have just signed up actor Saif Ali Khan. In a month or two, we?ll finalise deals with two more film stars.

Why not something more for sport?

Apart from tennis players, we manage cricketers. I am also in the process of setting up a champions? trust which will help fund young talents to train abroad for five years. After every Olympics, we hear people abusing sportspersons for returning empty-handed. Everyone says this should be done and that should be rectified, but tell me, does anyone actually do anything constructive? Once the funds are mobilised, I plan to send 15-20 kids from different disciplines for long-term foreign training. Let?s face it, we can?t produce champions training our sportspersons in India, they have to go abroad.

Finally, do you see yourself as a pioneer?

I don?t know whether I?m a pioneer or not. The Indian economy is booming or should I say flying. I?m glad I came in at the right time. What I?m doing benefits me as well as a host of others.