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Rohan Bopanna's plans to partner Pakistan's Aisam ul-Haq Qureshi for the 2013 season have come to nought with the latter turning down his offer to pair up. Qureshi, who is playing the Japan Open this week, confirmed to The Indian Express that he will continue to play next year with his Dutch partner Jean-Julien Roger.

Mahesh Bhupathi, whom Bopanna partnered this season in order to prepare for the Olympics, would play with Canadian Daniel Nestor for the upcoming season after which he had announced he would retire. Bopanna had his worst year (win-loss of 20-24) in three seasons in 2012 with Bhupathi, and was looking for a more successful and long term partnership with former partner Aisam.

But despite having had his best career result — reaching the final of the 2010 US Open — with the Indian, Qureshi, who is higher ranked at 12, did not want to go down that road again. Bopanna had won his first Masters title had also made the World Tour final with Aisam but had called off the partnership abruptly last year to prepare for the London Games.

The decision to split for the entire year and not just in the run-up to the Olympics had come as a shock to Qureshi. When Bopanna approached him this time around, Qureshi, who was then in Pakistan after playing the US Open, said he would consult his coach Robert Davis and partner Roger, before taking a call.

"If Roger feels we are going great, I wouldn't want to disturb the set-up. If he's happy with me and we have the same goals for next year and my coach feels we will suit each other better in the season to come, I will have little reason to switch.