India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Romanian partner Marius Copil advanced to the men’s doubles pre-quarterfinals after notching up a straight-set win at the French Open on Friday.
Bopanna-Copil registered a 6-4 6-4 win over Bengamin Bonzi and Antoine Hoang in a second-round match that lasted an hour and 11 minutes. The duo will face Serbian pair of Dusan Lajovic and Janko Tipsarevic for a place in the quarterfinals.
There was more cheer for India at the French Open on Friday as veteran Leander Paes registered a comfortable straight sets victory in the men’s doubles first round. The seasoned Indian tennis player and his French partner Benoit Paire defeat Martin Klizan and Dominic Inglot 6-4, 6-4.
However, Divij Sharan and his Brazilian partner Marcelo Demoliner made an early exit, losing their second round match in straight sets. Up against eighth seeds Henri Kontinen and John Peers, the unseeded Indo-Brazilian pair lost 3-6 4-6 in exact one hour.
Divij and Demoliner could convert none of the two break chances they got besides dropping their serve twice. It is the fourth tournament together for Divij and the Brazilian. Ending runners-up at the BMW Open in Munich has been their best result.
Divij had begun the season by teaming up with compatriot Bopanna but split after losing four first round matches in seven tournaments in a three-month partnership. The Indians had won the season-opening Tata Open Maharashtra in Pune.
[Inputs from PTI]