 | « Back to article | Print this article |
The Indian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna crashed out of the men's doubles at the London Olympics, losing 3-6, 4-6 to the French pair of Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet, on Tuesday.
The Frenchmen needed just 77 minutes to demolish the fancied Indian pair, which had overcome Max Mirnyi and Alexander Bury of Belarus in a though three-setter on Monday evening.
- London Olympics 2012 - Complete coverage
Meanwhile, the second round match between India's LeanderPaes-Vishnu Vardhan and the French pair of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Michael Llodra has been postponed to Wednesday.
Bhupathi and Bopanna, who were at loggerheads with the AITA and arm-twisted the parent body into sending them as a pair, were no match for Gasquet-Benneteau -- both of whom are singles specialists.
The French pair broke the Indians on three occasions --- once in the first set and twice in the second set.
Bopanna, known for his booming serves, was broken twice in the second set despite the Indian pair leading 3-0.
It was a match gifted on the platter to the French pair after they had a convincing lead, as Bopanna lost his serve in the fourth and ninth game of the second set respectively.