Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna and his Croatian partner Ivan Dodig’s hopes of a deep run at the China Open ATP 500 tournament in Beijing were dashed in the first round on Saturday. The second-seeded Indo-Croatian pair suffered a shock defeat to the unseeded duo of Francisco Cerundolo (Argentina) and Nicolas Jarry (Chile) in a closely contested match that lasted one hour and 31 minutes.
Bopanna and Dodig, who have partnered together in the past, were unable to find their rhythm against the inspired Cerundolo and Jarry. The unseeded pair broke Bopanna’s serve in the opening game of the match and held on to their advantage throughout the first set. Bopanna and Dodig fought back in the second set, but they were unable to convert their break point opportunities and eventually succumbed to a 7-5, 6-7 (5) defeat.
The loss marks a disappointing end to Bopanna’s season in Beijing. The 44-year-old Indian had enjoyed a successful year, winning two titles with his regular partner Matthew Ebden of Australia at the Australian Open Grand Slam and the Miami Open. However, Ebden chose not to participate in the ATP 500 event, leaving Bopanna to team up with Dodig.
Despite the setback, Bopanna remains one of India’s most successful tennis players. He has won 22 ATP doubles titles, including two Grand Slams, and has represented India at the Olympics and Davis Cup. Bopanna will now turn his attention to the upcoming Davis Cup Finals, where India will face Italy in the group stage.
