The Indian combine of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna were pipped to the tape by the 14th seeds, Dutchman Jean-Julien Rojer and Slovenian Andreja Klepac, by a 6-3, 3-6, 11-9 margin in a rain-interrupted third-round mixed-doubles clash.
The Indians, who were serving second in the decider, saved four of the five breakpoints they faced. The Dutch-Slovenian pairing did well on their serves and didn’t face a break point in the final essay of the two-hour seven-minute clash.
Earlier, the bits and pieces 29-minute opening set, which Rojer and Klepac took for the loss of three games, was played in three parts on Tuesday.
The first time the players exited the court the score was 1-1, the second time it was 3-2. When the players returned to court No. 2 some 22 hours later on Wednesday, Bopanna and Sania broke Rojer’s serve in the second game of the set and took a 4-1 lead.
The early break proved decisive as the Indians levelled scores.
The only break in the decider came in the 20th game when the Dutchman’s forehand sealed the 70-minute third set and the match.
