Mahesh Bhupathi spoke to Mobile ESPN’s Bhagya Ayyavoo after winning his maiden doubles title of 2009 season, the Montreal Masters.

By Bhagya Ayyavoo

It was five cheers for Mahesh Bhupathi at the Montreal Masters on Sunday when he and partner Mark Knowles clinched their first ATP title of the 2009 season. Bhupathi collected his fifth Canadian title and 45th overall. Mobile ESPN caught up with the Indian doubles ace less than an hour after his triumph.

Excerpts from an exclusive interview:

Bhagya Ayyavoo: And finally Mahesh, you guys managed to get that first title of the season...

Mahesh Bhupathi: Yes, we have been playing pretty well recently. We have lost a few close matches at Wimbledon and Washington last week. So, we kept the level pretty high and we knew that if we kept playing like that, we would eventually win. And, I am happy to get the title here (in Montreal).

BA: You must have fancied your chances, especially after breaking through the stiff challenge of Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic in the semi-finals? How difficult was the semifinals clash?

MB: It is always good to beat one of the top seeds. This is a Masters event, everyone is really good. It's a tough competition. So beating Nestor and Nenad was a good win for us. And more importantly by winning the title, we take a lot of confidence into the US Open.

BA: Were there any adjustments that you had made to your game, which helped you be on the winning side this time, that too against the second seeds?

MB: No, not really. We have been practising very hard. Like I said, we have been playing well in the last few months. We just lost a lot of tight matches. And in doubles, it is one point here and there. And this week, things changed for us. And hopefully, we will take this momentum into the next week in Cincinnati (ATP tournament) and the US Open.

BA: How do you see India faring in the Davis Cup World Group play-off in in South Africa in September?

MB: I think our chances are 50-50. Somdev (Devvarman) is playing well. He won a few matches in Washington (ATP event). Rohan (Bopanna) is back playing on tour this week, which is exciting for us. With Leander (Paes) and me in doubles, I think people are not expecting us to upset them. But, with the pressure on them, I think it's a 50-50 shot.

BA: Obviously, Somdev is a key player for India in the Davis Cup. How do you assess his improvement on the tour?

MB: He is a very hard worker. Like what we saw when he played in Chennai (ATP event), he has the potential to beat top players. We are looking forward to him breaking into the Top 100. And hopefully, he should put us 1-0 ahead on Day 1 (of the Davis Cup tie) in South Africa and then we take it from there.

BA: Somdev has had his share of great wins as well tight losses, is that something of a concern? What should be his approach here?

MB: Wins and losses are a part of any professional athlete's career. He had some close losses. Then he turned it around, he beat the 13th player (Marin Cilic) in the world. So, we need to go with the flow. As long as he works hard, the results will come. If these guys keep putting in the work, they will reap the results. It's not about five losses or three wins. At the end of the day, if you are good enough, you are going to win. Bad losses are a part of every tennis-player's career.

BA: Shifting focus to Sania Mirza, she is back on the WTA Tour after bagging winner's title and a runner-up crown, respectively in two Challenger events at Lexington and Vancouver ITF event. What sort of a threat will she pose at the US Open?

MB: Sania is a confident player. Obviously, she has played a lot of matches in the last two weeks and she is going to continue to play more matches till the Open. The fact that she is playing a lot of matches and winning a lot of matches bodes well for her. I can definitely expect her to play some good tennis at the US Open.

BA: Are you excited about this news on mixed-doubles inclusion in the Olympics in the near future?

MB: Obviously, it's a far cry from happening. But, if it happens, it will be exciting. Let's see what happens.

BA: Does India stand a great chance in bringing home a gold medal, if mixed doubles gets the green signal in Olympics?

MB: Let's take one year at-a-time. We are still in 2009!