Bhambri’s exit brings down curtains on India’s challenge at Australian Open

India’s challenge at the Australian Open came to an end on Sunday after Yuki Bhambri and his Swedish partner Andre Goransson bowed out in the third round of the men’s doubles. Bhambri and Goransson went down 6-7(7), 3-6 to Brazil’s unseeded pairing of Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos in a closely contested match that lasted just over an hour.

The Indo-Swedish combination fought hard in the opening set but failed to capitalise in the tie-break, and the Brazilians maintained their composure to seal the second set without much trouble. With Bhambri’s exit, India’s campaign at the season’s first Grand Slam has concluded.

Bhambri had already made an earlier exit from the mixed doubles, while N Sriram Balaji had bowed out previously from the men’s doubles. Maaya Rajeshwaran and Arnav Paparkar exited the junior Australian Open on Saturday with first round exits.