Leander Paes and his doubles partner Jeremy Chardy crashed out of the Australian Open in the very first round, going down in straight sets to the 12th seeded pair of Juan Cabal and Robert Farah Maksoud. Cabal and Maksoud were hardly tested as they breezed to a 6-3 6-4 victory over Paes and Chardy, the latter missing five of their six break chances.
Paes' longtime doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi made the most of his comeback to the Grand Slams by advancing to the second round. Bhupathi, partnering with Giles Muller, beat the Australian duo of Alex Bolt and Andrew Whittington 7-6 3-6 6-4. This was Bhupathi's first Grand Slam after he pulled out of the Wimbledon last year for the Indian Premier Tennis League.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!