Bopanna-Kubot knocked out of Shanghai Masters

Rohan Bopanna and Lukasz Kubot were ousted from the ATP Shanghai Masters after losing to Marcelo Melo and Raven Klaasen, in the semi-final on Saturday.

The eighth seeded Indo-Polish pair lost 3-6, 7-6(1), 10-7 to the sixth seeded Brazilian-Protea combine in one hour and 34 minutes.

There was hardly anything to separate the two teams as they played solid throughout, saving a a number of breakpoints they faced.

Bopanna and Kubot saved five of the seven chances while their rivals got broken only once, saving six other chances.

Bopanna, who has not played with his regular partner Florin Mergea after the US Open, had won the Madrid Masters which was his best performance this season.

After Madrid, it is first time Bopanna had reached the last-four pairs stage in a Masters event.

Image: Lukasz Kubot (left) and Rohan Bopanna India discuss tactics

Photograph: Kevin Lee/Getty Images