Agency report
 
Chennai, Jul 10: Indian women's tennis sensation Sania Mirza was having a great year and can crack the top 20 in the WTA rankings, doubles specialist Mahesh Bhupathi said.

Speaking on the sidelines of a promotional event for the Sunfeast Open 2007 to be held at Kolkata from September 17-23, he said "she is having a great year. Clearly she has left behind the blues.With a little bit of luck, she can crack the top 20."

On his partnership with Sania Mirza in the mixed doubles category, he said "hopefully we will play for a long time and hope to win couple of Grand Slams." The two, pairing for the first time, reached the second round of Wimbledon this year.

On setting up the Mahesh Bhupathi Tennis Academy, on the lines of the ones in Bangalore and Gurgaon, he said they were looking at the possibility of opening one here in 2008.

Bhupathi also said there were a few players in the junior category who were "very good". "But it will take them at least five to six years to mature," he added. Asked if he would pair up with Leander Paes for the Olympics, he said "that is for the federation to decide."

Earlier, Bhupathi, sports presenter Charu Sharma, squash player Dipika Pallikal and actor Trisha Krishnan played an exhibition match as a prelude to the Sunfeast Open.