India at Aus Open: Men's doubles challenge ends in single day

India’s challenge in the men's doubles event at the Australian Open came crashing in a single day as the three pairs featuring Indians suffered first round defeats, in Melbourne on Wednesday.

The 15th seeded Indian team of Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan, who began their partnership with a bang in Pune at the Maharashtra Open, lost 1-6, 6-4, 5-7 to the unseeded Spanish pair of Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.

It is the second straight first-round defeat for the new Indian team on the tour after their triumph at the Tata Open Maharsahtra.

Last week, they had lost in the round of 16 at the Sydney International.

Competing in his 24th Australian Open, veteran Leander Paes and his partner Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela saved a few match points but eventually fell 5-7, 6-7(4) to American-Kiwi combo of Austin Krajicek and Artem Sitak.

Also making the first round exit was Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan and his partner

Nicholas Monroe, who lost 6-4, 6-7(8), 5-7 to Kevin Krawietz and Nikola Mektic after fighting hard for two hours and 20 minutes.