Rohan Bopanna out of Australian Open men’s doubles in first round

India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Japanese partner Ben McLachlan crashed out of the Australian Open after losing to South Korean pair of Ji Sung Nam and Min-Kyu Song in their first round men’s doubles tie in Melbourne on Wednesday.

Nam and Song – wild card entrants to the event - won 6-4, 7(7)-6(0).

It was the first time Rohan Bopanna partnered with Ben McLachlan. Joao Sousa, with whom the 40-year-old Indian was originally supposed to play Australian Open 2021, contracted COVID-19 and was unable to make the trip Down Under.

McLachlan's partner, South Africa’s Raven Klaasen, meanwhile, had to pull out of the first Grand Slam of the year due to COVID as well, leading to the last-minute Indo-Japanese pair up.

The newly-formed duo got off to a slow start as the South Koreans broke Bopanna’s serve in the third game to take the early lead.

Rohan Bopanna and Ben McLachlan’s understanding on the court seemed to gradually improve as the match progressed.

Trailing 5-4, Bopanna and McLachlan came close to breaking their opponents in the all-important 10th game, but the well-drilled South Korean team held onto their advantage to win the first set 6-4.

The second set saw both teams stay solid with their serves and provide the other team barely any chance to break. With the score at 6-6, the tie-breaker was forced.

While Bopanna-McLachlan needed to persevere in order to stay in the match, it was the South Korean duo who showed more energy and determination. Nam and Song clean swept the tiebreaker 7-0, to win the second set 7(7)-6(0) and win the match in straight sets.

Despite the loss, Rohan Bopanna is expected to return in mixed doubles - the draws for which will be announced later.

Other Indian players Divij Sharan and Ankita Raina will be in men’s and women’s doubles action respectively on Thursday.

Sumit Nagal had already exited the men’s singles event on Tuesday after a first round loss.