Paes, Bhupathi agree to team up for Olympics

India's feuding doubles pair Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have agreed to set aside their differences and team up for the Beijing Olympics.

Winners of three Grand Slam titles together, the pair looked unlikely to team up in Beijing after Bhupathi refused to play with Paes, who had declined to play tournaments with him in the build-up.

However, All India Tennis Association (AITA) secretary Anil Khanna met both players on Monday in Paris on the sidelines of the French Open and persuaded them to come together again.

• It's over with Paes, says Bhupathi

"Leander and Mahesh, being true patriots and professionals, have agreed to put in their best effort by pairing up for Beijing Olympics to win a medal for the country," Khanna said in a statement.

They will play together in two events before and after Wimbledon-- the Ordina Open and Indianapolis ATP-- and then train together under the supervision of Rick Leach, Paes's coach, and Bhupathi's trainer Scott Davidoff.

Their public spat, a running saga over the last few years, came to a head at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha where they still managed to claim the title.

This year, Bhupathi stood behind his younger team mates' demand for Paes to be removed as Davis Cup captain, although the federation refused to give in.

• Bhupathi's comments childish: Paes

Both players are in their 30s and Beijing will provide a final chance to make up for the disappointment of losing a bronze medal playoff in Athens four years ago.

Paes and Bhupathi, former world No. 1 team, had finished fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympics, going down in the bronze medal match to Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic.