Third-seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna squandered a good start to stumble out of the quarterfinals of the Chennai Open tournament.

By Bhagya L Ayyavoo

Disappointed fans and an unusually quite stadium told the story at the Aircel Chennai Open tournament in the early hours of Saturday. The exit of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna came a little unexpected. The third-seeded home favourites went down to Great Britain’s Colin Fleming and Kevin Skupsi in the quarterfinals letting down the fans, who stayed back till 1.30 am to cheer them on.

A win was always on the cards after a good start by Bhupathi and Bopanna. The Indian duo broke the Britons in the third game for an early 2-1 lead and sealed the first set 6-4.

However, the tide can change with a blink of an eye in doubles. The same happened on Saturday morning, as the all-British pairing broke the Indian duo twice to take the second set 6-3, and stretch the match into the super tie-breaker.

The Indian duo meekly surrendered 10-2 in the Match tie-break to hand the Britons a place in the semifinal. Fleming and Skupski will meet all-Spanish pairing of Marcel Granollers and Santiago Ventura in the semis.

So, for the fifth straight year since 2005, there will be no representation of either Bhupathi or Leander Paes in the later stages of the tournament. Bhupathi and Paes hold the tournament record for the most number of doubles titles in its 14-year history. The Indian Express bagged four Chennai Open titles together between 1997 and 2002.

India’s title hopes now remain with the most stylish duo of the tournament, Somdev Devvarman and Sanam Singh. The University of Virginia students have combined well so far, raising hopes of another successful Indian partnership in the future. Somdev and Sanam will play Yen Hsun Lu and Janko Tipsarevic for a spot in their maiden doubles final in Chennai.