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'Golden couple' settle for bronze

A visibly tired Mahesh Bhupathi and a tentative Nirupama Vaidyanathan bowed out of gold medal contention, losing 4-6, 3-6 to South Korea's Kim Dong Hyun and Choi Ju Yeon in the semifinals of the mixed doubles tennis event at the ongoing Asiad.

Billed the 'golden pair', the top-seeded Indian pair now has to be content with the bronze medal given to losing semifinalists.

Earlier, in the first semifinal, the Japaneses pair of Satoshi Iwabuchi and Nana Miyagi overpowered China's Chin Li and Chin Li Feng 6-1, 7-5.

Bhupathi, who beat the top-seeded Oleg Ogorodov 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 in a gruelling singles quarterfinal in the morning, did not look fully fit against the Koreans who had beaten the third seeds Chen Chi Jung and Wang Shi Tang of Chinese Taipei 7-6 (2), 6-7 (6), 6-3 on their way to the semis.

The Indians started on a facile note and took a commanding 4-1 lead in the first set but suddenly slumped and conceded 11 games on the trot.

The physically fit Kim took advantage of Mahesh's fatigue and took control of the game. He was ably supported by Choi.

With Prahlad Srinath already in the semifinals, India are now sure of three medals from the tennis courts, which looked unlikely when Leander Paes pulled out of the games due to a heel injury.

Earlier in the singles, Bhupathi, ranked much below his Uzbeck opponent, completely outclassed his rival in all departments of the game. The Indian displayed better courtcraft, a devastating service and exquisitely delicate drops to leave the Uzbek screaming in frustration.

Right from the word go, the Indian was on top as Ogorodov initially struggled with his serve and barely managed to avoid conceding a lead in the second game of the opening set. Bhupathi went up a break in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead and then went on to comfortably hold serve to go up 4-1.

In the ninth game, the Uzbek gave Bhupathi a harrowing time, opening up a 40-0 lead but two beautiful returns including a smashing down the line pass and a powerful second serve helped the Indian close out the set 6-3.

Ogorodov's big serve continued to elude him and he was trailing 0-40 in the first game of the second set, but Bhupathi lost the initative allowing the Uzbek to hold his serve.

The Uzbek struggled again in the third game after Mahesh easily took the second to level at one all. He was again down love forty but the Indian could not take advantage. Ogorodov won five successive points to continue his fightback.

The game went on with the service till the seventh but Bhupathi conceded a break in the eight to fall behind and lose the set 6-3.

The decider saw both the players slug it out to hold serve.

In the fifth game, Mahesh survived a threat as the Uzbek took the game to duece but with two good serves, the Indian managed to scrape through.

The eighth game saw Mahesh very nearly break Ogorodov's service but he missed the chance. However, the 12th game saw a ferociously fighting Mahesh romping home with beautiful down the line returns that left the Uzbek stranded. He survived two match points before Mahesh emerged victorious to take the set 7-5 and move into the semifinal.