China Open | Bopanna-Nestor lose to Nadal-Busta in first round

China Open | Bopanna-Nestor lose to Nadal-Busta in first round

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In what turned out to be a disastrous first round at the China Open, Rohan Bopanna and Daniel Nestor lost their match against Rafael Nadal and Pablo Busta 6-7, 4-6. Leander Paes and Andre Begemann were also knocked out 6-3, 5-7, 7-10 despite winning the 1st set against Bernard Tomic and Jack Sock.

Leander Paes, along with his German teammate Andre Begemann had received a wildcard entry in the tournament, and the duo went up against the team of Bernard Tomic and Jack Sock in their opening match. The Indo-German pair, who have already reached two finals on the ATP Tour this year since teaming up in July, got off to a brilliant start in the match. Sock and Tomic were broken twice in the first set and Paes-Begemann won it comfortably at 6-3.

In the second set, Paes and Begemann remained in contention till the 10th game at 5-5 before they were broken for the first time in the match. The Indo-German pair could not get the break back and ended up surrendering the second set 5-7 as the match headed into a tie-break. The momentum suddenly on their side, Sock and Tomic won the deciding tie-breaker 10-7 to knockout Paes and Begemann.

In the second match, Bopanna, who was a part of the Indian contingent that faced the Spaniards in the Davis Cup tie a fortnight ago, went up against Rafael Nadal and his young team-mate Pablo Carreno Busta. The Bopannna-Nestor pairing, who are seeded third in the men’s draw, saved six break points in the opening set to take it to a tie-breaker. However, the Spanish duo won the tie-breaker comfortably to win the set 7-6.

In the second set, Bopanna and Nestor broke their opponent's serve for the first time in the match, however, Nadal and Busta broke back twice to win the set 6-4.

Sania Mirza, who won the title last year in the women's doubles event with Martina Hingis, is India's only remaining hope in the tournament. She will defend her title alongside her new partner Barbora Strycova. The Indo-Czech pair, who lost the Wuhan final on Saturday, will be looking to bounce right back and are seeded fourth in the tournament.

After receiving a bye in the first round, Sania and Barbora will face Gabriela Dabrowski and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, a team they have played three times in as many weeks, in the second round on Tuesday.

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