NEW DELHI: Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri and his partner Robin Haase from the Netherlands faced a tough defeat in the first round of the Australian Open men's doubles.
The unseeded duo initially dominated, winning the first set 6-1. However, their opponents, Nicolas Barrientos from Colombia and Rafael Matos from Brazil, fought back and secured the second set in a tie-break. The match was then taken to a decisive third set.
Bhambri and Haase held a 5-4 lead in the third set, creating three match points. Unfortunately, they were unable to convert those opportunities, allowing Barrientos and Matos to force a tiebreak and ultimately claim victory. The intense encounter lasted for two hours and 26 minutes, highlighting the competitiveness of the match.
Bhambri, who had reached the third round of the Australian Open doubles event in 2014, and Haase had previously partnered effectively, reaching the semifinals of the Brisbane International ATP Tour earlier this month.
Although their Australian Open journey in the men's doubles comes to an end sooner than expected, Bhambri and Haase will regroup and focus on future tournaments, aiming to capitalize on their strong partnership.
The disappointment in Melbourne serves as a reminder of the challenges in the highly competitive doubles format, where matches can swing dramatically, even after holding match points.
(With inputs from PTI)
