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Bopanna-Qureshi drawn against Bryan twins

Last updated on: May 26, 2008 14:50 IST

French Open debutants Rohan Bopanna and Aisam Qureshi were straightaway thrown into the deep end when they were drawn against top seeds Mike and Bob Bryan of the USA in the doubles first round of the French Open.

The Indo-Pak duo won four back-to-back Challenger titles last year and finished runners-up at the Mumbai Open in September, but have teamed up for the first time at a Grand Slam.

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Bopanna is currently ranked 51 in doubles while Qureshi is placed at 71.

Leander Paes will begin his doubles stint with Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Replublic in Paris. They are in the same half as the Bryan brothers.

Paes-Dlouhy, seeded ninth, will take on Thai twins Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana in the opening round.

Top-ranked Indian Mahesh Bhupathi and partner Mark Knowles, of the Bahamas, will start their campaign against Australia's Stephen Huss and Ross Hutchins of Great Britain.

Bhupathi-Knowles are seeded fourth.

Sania Mirza had pulled out of the French Open as she has not yet recovered after the wrist surgery.