"We want to pair up again and are planning to play some tournaments before the Olympics," Paes said Saturday on his return here after a Davis Cup tie in New Zealand.

Paes and Bhupathi, the former world number one pair, have separated twice in the past and agreed to a similar reunion before the last Olympics at Sydney in 2000.

"We have been playing together in the Davis Cup and it was natural to have another go at the Olympics," said Paes, a former Wimbledon junior champion.

The pair have not won a doubles medal at the Olympics in two previous attempts, although Paes won a singles bronze at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

They lost to the Australian pair of Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde in the second round on both occasions.

The Indian pair enjoyed a successful run in 1999 when they made the finals of all four Grand Slam events. But they broke up soon after due to differences over a coach before reuniting just prior to the Sydney Games.

Known as the Indian Express, Paes and Bhupathi broke up once again in 2002 but have been pairing up regularly in the Davis Cup.