Tennis
Bopanna-Ebden pair's Cinch Championship journey ends in quarters
Bopanna-Ebden's hopes dashed as they fall to Khachanov-Fritz in straight sets at Cinch Championships quarters.
Top-seeded duo Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden faced a tough defeat against the Russian-American pair of Karen Khachanov and Taylor Fritz in straight sets during the quarterfinals, in a hard-fought battle at the Cinch Championships, on Friday.
Despite displaying resilience, Bopanna and Ebden couldn't overcome their opponents, with Khachanov and Fritz clinching victory with scores of 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3). The match showcased Khachanov and Fritz's prowess, particularly evident in their dominant second serves, which boasted a 70% win rate.
In contrast, Bopanna and Ebden struggled with their second serve execution, which proved pivotal in the outcome.
Earlier in the tournament, Bopanna and Ebden had started strongly by securing a confident 6-4, 6-4 victory over Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler in the opening round on Wednesday. Their journey at the Cinch Championships had shown promise following their recent semifinal appearance at the French Open.
The defeat marks the end of Bopanna and Ebden's campaign at this prestigious ATP 500 grass court event, leaving Khachanov and Fritz to advance to the semifinals.