Paes-Laureau crash to an American pair

With the ouster of Paes, who made a second round exit in the men’s singles after top woman player Nirupama Vaidyanathan’s elimination in the final qualifying round, ended Indian challenge at the year’s first Grand Slam event.

Paes-Laureau came back strongly after losing the first set in the tie-breaker but could not maintain the same tempo in the decider against their determined rivals.

Paes, who reached the final of all four Grand Slams last year with Bhupathi, winning the French Open and Wimbledon, had reached lost a thriller against Aussie Pat Rafter and Swede Jonas Bjorkman inlast year’s summit clash.

The 26-year-old Indian Davis Cup star lost to Sweden’s Andreas Vinceiguerra 6-7 (3-7) 4-6 3-6 in the men’s singles second round on Wednesday.

How the Seeds Fared
Men’s singles: 2-Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus) bt Daniel Vacek (Cze) 6-3 6-0 6-1; 4-Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) bt Tomas Behrend (Ger) 7-6 (7-5) 6-0 6-2; Arnaud Clement (Fra) bt 7-Nicolas Lapentti (Ecu) 3-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 4-1 (retired); Younes el Aynaoui (Mor) bt 10-Tommy Haas (Ger) 7-5 6-3 6-3; 12-Magnus Norman (Swe) bt Gianluca Pozzi (Ita) 6-4 6-3 6-4; 16-Mark Philippoussis (Aus) bt Raemon Sluiter (Ned) 6-1 2-6 7-6 (7/4) 6-1
Women’s singles (2nd round): 1-Martina Hingis (Swi) bt Justine Henin (Bel) 6-3 6-3; 3-Serena Williams bt Nicole Pratt (US) 7-5 6-2; 6-Barbara Schett (Aut) bt Miroslava Vavrinec (Swi) 6-4 6-4; Kristina Brandi (US) bt 8-Amanda Coetzer (RSA) 6-1 6-3; 10-Conchita Martinez (Spa) bt Olga Barabanschikova (Bel) 6-3 4-6 6-3; 12-Sandrine Testud (Fra) Angelica Gavaldon (Mex) 6-1 6-2; 13-Arantxa SanchezVicario (Spa) bt Lisa Raymond (US) 6-1 3-6 6-3, Jennifer Capriati (US) bt 14-Dominique van Roost (Bel) 6-1 4-6 8-6; 16-Elena Likhovtseva (Rus) bt Meghann Shaughnessy (US) 6-3 7-5
Men’s singles: Lleyton Hewitt (Aus) bt Alex Corretja (Spa) 6-0 6-0 6-1; Wayne Ferreira (RSA) bt Thomas Johansson (Swe) 6-3 6-26-7 (2/7) 4-6 6-2; Adrian Voinea (Rom) bt Albert Portas (Spa) 6-2 6-1 6-3
Women’s singles: Jelena Kostanic (Cro) bt Sylvia Plischke (Aut) 6-3 0-6 6-4; Els Callens (Bel) bt Denisa Chladkova (Cze) 2-6 7-5 6-4; Ruxandra Dragomir (Rom) bt Erika de Lone (US) 6-4 5-7 6-0; Sabine Appelmans (Bel) bt Chanda Rubin (US) 6-1 3-6 6-3.