Indian players had mixed fortunes in the men’s doubles first round match in the $ 57.24m US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center here on Friday. Rohan Bopanna and Denis Shapovalov of Canada entered the second round while Leander Paes and Argentina’s Guillermo Duran made exit of the tournament.
Rohan Bopanna, partnering Shapovalov of Canada had a smooth sailing against fourth seeded French duo of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut. The Indian-Canadian pair won 57 total points against their rivals who secured 35 total points in the 55-minute tussle on Courth No 7.
The French combination committed eight double faults while they released a solitary ace. Bopanna/Shapovalov fired three aces and committed same number of double faults. They unleashed 21 winners while Herbert/Mahut scored 13 winners. Bopanna/Shapovalov won 86 per cent of break points (6/7) an their opponents saved two out of three break points (67 per cent).
Bopanna and Shapovalov will now meet Italian pair of Marco M Cecchinato and Andreas A Seppi (ITA) who ousted Spanish pair of P Andujar and F Verdasco 6-3, 7-6 (1).
Earlier, Leander Paes, pairing with Duran were beaten by Miomir Kecmanovic of Serbia and Casper Ruud of Norway in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 in the men’s double first round match at Court No. 14.
Kecmanovic/Ruud took one hour and 24 minutes to dispose of the challenge of India-Argentine pair by winning 73 total points. Paes/Duran won 62 total points. Kecmanovic/Ruud won five break points out of eight while their rival won two out of eight.
Paes/Duran won 22 out of 35 on their first service and 9 out of 23 on their second service. Kecmanovic/Ruud won 27 out of 46 points on their first serve and 19 out of 31 on their second service.
In men’s singles, third seed Roger Federer of Switzerland ousted D Evans of Great Britain 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in 80 minutes. Displaying his form, He fired 10 aces and committed a solitary double fault. Federer committed only 19 unforced errors in comparison to his earlier matches, while his rival committed 14 unforced errors. Federer’s play was studded with 48 winners while Evan unleashed seven winners.
It may be recalled that Federer lost the first sets against Sumit Nagal and Damir Dzumhur before bouncing back with style and won the first and round matches.
In women’s singles, eighth-seed Serena Williams of USA also had an easy round against K Muchova of Czech Republic as she raced to a 6-3, 6-2 verdict in the women’s singles third round match. (UNI)
