Australian Open 2025: Bopanna-Barrientos exit in the first round

Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna, defending champion of the men's doubles at the Australian Open, crashed out in the first round of the tournament on Tuesday. 

With a new partner, Nicolas Barrientos of Colombia, Bopanna got off to a rough start, losing in straight sets (5-7, 6-7[5]) to the Spanish pair of Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar. 

Rohan Bopanna, in tow with Australian Matthew Ebden, had won the Australian Open in 2024.

That victory catapulted the veteran to international stardom and ensured that the Indian entered the record books as the oldest tennis player to win a Grand Slam. 

Advantage squandered

The match started on an even footing, with both teams winning games in equal measure. 

Bopanna and Barrientos had the advantage at 5-4 in the first set, but the Spanish pair won the next two games and took the first set in what was a fighting comeback. 

Pedro and Jaume continued to dominate the second set, winning game after game, and took a 5-3 lead.

But the Indo-Colombian pair fought back brilliantly, winning the next three games and taking a 6-5 lead, needing just one more win to draw level. 

The Spanish duo then drew level and then prevailed in the tiebreaker, despite trailing 1-4 at one stage, winning it 6-5 and pocketing the set and match.