Paes-Bhupathi ousted from ATP World Tour Finals

The 'Indian Express' went down 4-6,6-4,6-10 in one hour and 39 minutes.

Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupahti parted ways on a disappointing note,bowing out of the ATP World Tour Finals following a semifinal loss to eighth seeded Poles Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski.

Fourth seeds Paes and Bhupathi,competing in their last tournament together since rejoining forces earlier this year after a nine-year seperation,went down 4-6,6-4,6-10 in one hour and 39 minutes on Saturday night.

Fyrstenberg and Matkowski will now meet third seeds Daniel Nestor and Max Mirnyi in their 31st tour-level doubles final (11-19 record).

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Both teams gave little away until the 10th game of the first set,when Bhupathi,serving at 4-5,fell to 30/40.

He saved the set point by dashing for a backhand volley winner that pierced the Polish duo down the middle. However,Matkowski forced Bhupathi into a forced volley error at sudden death deuce to clinch the first set 6-4 after 39 minutes of play.

Fyrstenberg and Matkowski won all 11 of their first service points and 20 of 27 overall.

In the second set,Paes found himself at 15/40 in game two. The Indians remained in control of the point until Fyrstenberg changed the pace of the rally by hitting a lob down the line,the ATP said in a release. It caught Paes off guard. Scrambling back to the baseline,he hit a short lob that Fyrstenberg smashed away for a 2-0 lead. Bhupathi and Paes responded immediately by winning three straights games,including a sudden death deuce point at 2-2,30/40,when Matkowski hit the Poles third double fault of the match.

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Two more service breaks were exchanged midway through the set before Bhupathi and Paes broke decisively at 4-4,when Bhupathi hit a low return to the feet of a net-rushing Matkowski,only for Paes to poach a forehand volley that gave Fyrstenberg no chance of keeping the rally alive. Paes closed out the 46-minute set with a hold to 15.

Bhupathi and Paes looked to be in control at 3-0 lead in the match tie-break,but the Poles took their chances on return of serve to win nine of the next 11 points.

At 5-5,Paes mis-timed a forehand volley off Bhupathi’s serve,giving Fyrstenberg an easy forehand into space. Fyrstenberg took advantage of the lapse in concentration with two quick service points.