Three Guys from India and a Pakistani!—Nathan’s Blog
By: Nathan M. Cuny
This year three Indian players and one Pakistani player have made it to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London. The doubles teams consist of The IndoPak Express, Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, as well as The Indian Express, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.
This is the first time since 2002 the doubles duo of Bhupathi and Paes have stepped foot on an ATP World Tour Finals court together. The former Doubles World No.1’s are currently ranked at No.4 but they better watch their spot because The IndoPak express is hot on their heels.
Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi gained their current rank as the world Doubles No. 5 team by really upping their game in the two tournaments prior to Barclays. Sadly IndoPak Express will not qualify for the Barclays Semifinals. Even so, qualifying as No.5 of the top eight doubles teams at the ATP World Tour Finals is still a great accomplishment deserving due credit. To Bopanna and Qureshi I tip my hat.
On Sunday November 20th Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor defeated Bopanna and Qureshi 7-6², 4-6, 11-9. The match lasted a total of one hour and forty-one minutes. IndoPak Express lost the first set in a tie break against Mirnyi and Nestor, recovered in the second set by making 77 percent of their first serves into the court, and had a grueling final match where they held the advantage at 8-6. Nestor took the advantage from IndoPak Express with a hard ace winning the set and match 11 points to Bopanna and Qureshi’s 9.
IndoPak Express lost yet again Tuesday the 22nd 6⁶-7, 3-6, in their match against Nenad Zimonjic and Michael Llodra. Tuesday’s match wasn’t the best for Bopanna as he had difficulty serving in the first set and even hit a lob forehand in the second set sending the ball flying into the video scoreboard overhead. Bopanna and Qureshi play their final Barclays game on Thursday November 24th at 12:15 PM against Fyrstenberg and Matkowski.
The No.4 team Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes are off to a decent start at Barclays. The Group A Indian Express team did not win their Monday match against the No.6 team of Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau, losing 6⁶-7, 1-6. During the first set The Indian Express and Lindstedt/Tecau duked it out toe-to-toe until Bhupathi and Paes lost the tiebreak by a forehand return from Lindstedt that went straight down the line. The twenty-eight minute second set was brutal for Bhupathi and Paes as Lindstedt and Tecau dominated with their serves.
With that said, Bhupathi and Paes were ATP World Tour Finals finalists three times as a team. With two matches left they still have a shot at qualifying for the semifinals, and hold on—maybe even the finals for the first time as a team in 10 years. Bhupathi and Paes contend with No.7’s Jurgen Melzer and Philipp Petzchner at 12:15 PM Wednesday the 23rd on center court. Monday’s match was a wakeup call for The Indian Express hollering, “This is Barclays baby, it’s do or die!”
Topics: Aisam Ul Haq Qureshi, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna
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