India’s top-ranked men’s doubles tennis player Yuki Bhambri and his Swedish partner Andre Goransson were eliminated from the Australian Open after a defeat to the Brazilian duo of Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos in the third round. Luz and Matos clinched the victory by winning the first set, despite scoring fewer points than Bhambri/Goransson, by capitalizing on crucial moments.
In a closely contested match, the Brazilian pair outperformed Bhambri-Goransson in short rallies and made fewer errors, securing a 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 win. Despite a strong fight in the opening-set tiebreak, Bhambri and Goransson couldn’t maintain the momentum and eventually lost the set. The turning point came in the second set when Goransson’s double faults allowed Luz and Matos to take control of the match.
Following Bhambri’s exit, India’s representation in the tournament concluded, as he was the last Indian contender standing. Bhambri, who had reached the men’s doubles third round at Melbourne Park for the first time since 2014, showcased his best Grand Slam performance last year by reaching the semi-finals at the US Open. Additionally, Bhambri’s mixed doubles campaign with Nicole Melichar-Martinez ended in a first-round defeat to Zhang Shuai and Tim Putz.
