Rohan Bopanna has had a fair bit of time on his hands the last few weeks. He’s been catching up with family, friends, movies, and he even made a short trip to Hyderabad last week to attend Sania Mirza’s engagement. But he would rather have avoided this forced break, particularly as it meant a quick end to his grasscourt season, and a lost chance to pick up points on his favourite surface.

The Indian injured his left knee while playing at the Nottingham ATP event last month and had to spend his days in the doctor’s clinic while watching others prepare for Wimbledon. He had finally got into a rhythm after winning three qualifying-round matches and had beaten world No 220 Alexandre Kudryavtsev of Russia in the first round, before the injury interrupted.

“I tore my medial collateral ligament in Nottingham, and though it isn’t the kind that requires surgery, I lost a lot of muscle mass in the process and I have to work on regaining the strength,” Bopanna told The Indian Express.

“There isn’t any such thing as the right time for an injury, but I was unlucky to get it during the grasscourt season. I got an MRI done there and then returned to India around five weeks ago. I have been doing rehab for about two weeks now, and soon I will be going to Chennai for more.”

India’s next Davis Cup tie is the World Group playoff against South Africa in September, and the 29-year-old, like the rest of the team, is optimistic about India’s chances in Johannesburg and hopes his fitness will allow him to be part of the team.

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