India’s Rohan Bopanna, pairing up with Denis Shapovalov, started off their men’s doubles US Open campaign with a big win.
The Indo-Canadian pair stunned fourth seeds Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hughes Herbert in the first round, beating the four-time Grand Slam champions 6-3, 6-1.
The duo have had a good run on the hard courts, reaching the semi-finals of the Rogers Cup earlier this month.
Bopanna is the only Indian left in the men’s doubles draw after both Divij Sharan and Leander Paes lost in the first round.
Paes and partner Guillermo Duran were beaten 5-7, 2-6 by a pair of upcoming players Miomir Kecmanovic and Casper Ruud.
Sharan and partner Hugo Nys crashed out after losing 4-6 4-6 to Robert Carballes Baena and Federico Delbonis.
Bopanna is also part of the mixed doubles draw and will play with partner Abigail Spears.
Meanwhile on the ATP Challenger circuit, Sasi Kumar Mukund reached the semi-final of the tournament in Baotou, China. The Indian beat Harry Bourchier of Australia 4-6, 6-1, 7-6(3) in the quarter-finals. He will face eighth seed Wu Tung-lin in a bid to reach final.
