MELBOURNE, JANUARY 16 (PTI): The Indian doubles campaign at the Australian Open ended on Wednesday after Leander Paes, Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and the pair of Rohan Bopanna-Divij Sharan all lost in the first round of men's doubles at Melbourne Park. While Paes lost in straight sets with his partner Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela, Bopanna-Sharan and Jeevan-Nicholas Monroe lost in three sets.
Bopanna and Sharan were seeded 15th at the year's first Grand Slam tournament but lost to an unseeded Spanish pair Pablo Carreno Busta-Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 1-6, 6-4, 5-7 in an hour and 46 minutes.
Even though Bopanna-Sharan hit far more winners (read 36) than the 13 by the Spanish pair, they were clearly beaten in almost all other respects.
Bopanna-Sharan made more unforced errors and got in lesser per cent of first serve and second serve, which made a huge difference. Busta-Guillermo even hit one more ace than the Indian pair.
On the other hand, Jeevan-Monroe were up against a German-Croatian pair of Kevin Krawietz-Nikola Mektic and battled for two hours and 20 minutes before losing 6-4, 6-7(8), 5-7 to bow out of the tournament.
Krawietz-Mektic were just too powerful for Jeevan-Monroe and aced their way to victory. The German-Croatian pair hit 10 aces to just two from Jeevan-Monroe.
Jeevan-Monroe hit more winners but also made more unforced errors, which cost them the match.
Paes had a forgetful day at the Melbourne Park as he lost his men's doubles Round of 64 match 5-7, 6-7(4) in just an hour and 20 minutes against the American-New Zealand pairing of Austin Krajicek-Artem Sitak.
Paes and Reyes-Verala just stood no chance against the power and accuracy of their opponents. Krajicek-Sitak not only hit far more winners at Paes-Reyes-Verala but also aced them 11 to 2.
With India out of men's doubles at the Australian Open, Indian challenge has ended in Melbourne.