Hold World doubles: Paes, Bhupathi

French Open champions Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi have called for the cancelled World Doubles Championship to be rescheduled for January, in Bangalore.

The event, which had been planned for November 7 to 11 in the southern Indian city, was called off because of security concerns surrounding the current conflict in nearby Afghanistan.

But the Indian duo insist that the event can be held quite safely at the same venue in the new year.

"It really is a touchy subject right now," said Bhupathi.

"When the United States was attacked in September, a lot of things were cancelled and everyone was freaking out.

"But a lot of events have been reinstated. For example, the England cricket tour of India is still going ahead.

"The organisers want the doubles championship to go ahead, the players certainly want it to take place. January 28 has been put forward as a possible date, but the ATP aren't too keen.

"But we are hopeful that something can be worked out," added Bhupathi, after he and Paes had reached the final of the Paris Masters, on Sunday, where they were beaten 3-6, 6-4 6-3 by Ellis Ferreira and Rick Leach.

The year-end doubles finale was to be held at the Karnataka State Lawn Tennis Association Tennis Centre in Bangalore, where huge crowds were expected to support Paes and Bhupathi who were runners-up last year.

This year has been a successful comeback season for the pair, known as the Indian Express, with titles won at the French Open and at the Masters event in Cincinnati - performances that have seen the duo rise to number four in the world.

When they beat the Czech pair of Petr Pala and Pavel Vizner 7-6, 6-3 in the French Open final at Roland Garros in the summer, it marked an incredible turnaround in their fortunes and their relationship -- they had a much-publicised falling out in 2000 and decided to go their separate ways.

"It was not that difficult getting back together again," said Bhupathi. "There was always that chemistry there.

"We have had a good year, not a great year. This season was about getting back into the top rankings and, hopefully, we can shoot for the number one spot in 2002."

If their past record is anything to go by, they will be a pair to be feared.

In 1999, they won the Wimbledon and French Open titles and became the first pair since 1952 to reach the final of all four Grand Slam tournaments in the same year.

But reports of personality clashes soon emerged and the pair split, taking part in tournaments with different partners with less success than before.

However, their decision to rekindle their partnership seems to be paying off.