Bopanna/Qureshi stun Llodra/Zimonjic in the doubles quarter-finals – BNP Paribas Masters 2011
Upsets keep coming in the doubles draw of the BNP Paribas Masters, as the seventh ranked ‘Indo-Pak Express’ of Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi overthrew the world number two pair of Michael Llodra of France and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia in the quarter-final clash on Friday evening.
The thriller took one hour and twenty minute to conclude, with the seventh seed duo wining in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 10-6, to book a place in the semi-final rounds of the ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 1000 event in style.
Bopanna and Qureshi registered their 36th victory of the running year and the first one against the second ranked team. Llodra and Zimonjic stood victorious in straight sets against the Indo-Pak Express in their last encounter in Rotterdam earlier this year but failed to replicate the similar performance with their racquets on Friday evening.
The seventh seed duo has already bagged two ATP doubles championship titles in this season and their impactful win over the second seeded pair clearly suggests that it is well on course for another one in Paris. Bopanna and Qureshi were off to a sluggish start in the matchup, dropping the opener to fall back early, but made a tremendous comeback later to stun everyone. They raced through the second set to bring the match back on even terms and then continued with their winning momentum in the super tie breaker round to book a semi-final berth in the Paris Masters.
Bopanna and Qureshi have booked the last spot in the prestigious top class field of the circuit grand finale, the ATP World Tour Finals in London later this month. They combined their individual efforts with great mastery to turn the tables on the hot favourite duo of Llodra and Zimonjic in Friday’s matchup and acquired the necessary winning momentum for the season finale.
Both duos registered three serve breaks apiece in the contest but it was the super tie breaker round which all mattered. Bopanna and Qureshi stood focused in the pressure situation of the decider and a couple of mini-breaks did the trick for them, closing out the contest at 10-6.
Bopanna and Qureshi need to go past the third seed pair of Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Daniel Nestor of Canada in the semis to earn a title shot in the final of the Paris Masters. Mirnyi and Nestor made their way to the round of four after dumping the eighth seeded Austrian duo of Oliver Marach and Alexander Peya in straight sets, 6-2, 7-6(7), in the quarter-final clash on Friday evening.
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