Australian Open: Balaji, Reyes-Varela Exit Men's Doubles
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Synopsis
In a hard-fought battle at the Australian Open, India's N. Sriram Balaji and Mexico's Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela were eliminated in the second round by Portugal's Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral. The match featured intense moments and strategic play, concluding with a score of 6-7, 6-4, 3-6.
Key Takeaways
- Balaji and Reyes-Varela lost in the second round.
- The match lasted over two hours.
- Strong performance in the second set was highlighted.
- India's hopes now depend on Rohan Bopanna.
- Bopanna and Zhang Shuai advanced in mixed doubles.
Melbourne, Jan 18 (NationPress) India’s N. Sriram Balaji and Mexico’s Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela faced elimination in the Australian Open men’s doubles, succumbing to a challenging second-round defeat against Portugal’s Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral on Saturday. The match was fiercely contested, concluding with scores of 6-7(7), 6-4, 3-6 after two hours and nine minutes of gripping action at Melbourne Park.
The initial set was a nail-biter, stretching over 56 minutes. Each team was unable to break serve, forcing a tiebreak. Borges and Cabral displayed remarkable poise under pressure, narrowly clinching the set against the Indo-Mexican pair.
In the subsequent set, Balaji and Reyes-Varela came out strong, achieving an early break for a 2-1 advantage and maintaining their lead to reach 5-4. They demonstrated impressive serves and accurate winners, ultimately sealing the set with an ace and a forehand winner, thus equalizing the match.
The final set saw Borges and Cabral gain the advantage with a vital break in the fourth game, establishing a 3-1 lead. Both teams held their serves until the ninth game, where the Portuguese duo secured another break with powerful serves and sharp forehand winners, thereby concluding the match.
With Balaji and Reyes-Varela's exit, India’s aspirations in the tournament now rely on Rohan Bopanna in the mixed doubles. Bopanna and his Chinese partner Zhang Shuai advanced to the Round of 16, achieving a straight-sets victory over the French-Croatian duo of Kristina Mladenovic and Ivan Dodig, with scores of 6-4, 6-4.
Bopanna and Zhang aim to maintain their momentum as they pursue a deep run in the mixed doubles competition.
