Melbourne: Somdev Devvarman gave a mighty scare to world number 26 Jerzy Janowicz before fizzling out while Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek-Sands suffered a shock first round exit in a mixed day for the Indians at the Australian Open here on Wednesday.
Somdev was well on course to record his best performance at a Grand Slam but frittered away a two-set lead to go down 7-6(10), 6-3, 1-6, 0-6, 5-7 against 24th seed Janowicz in a marathon men’s singles second round match, which lasted four hours.
Somdev showed he has recovered well from his shoulder surgery, which spoilt his 2012 season, but somehow could not complete the job despite a magnificent start.
Somdev was the lone Indian featuring in the men’s singles.
In the women’s doubles, Sania and Bethanie, who came into the tournament after winning the Brisbane International, were ousted by unseeded the Spanish duo of Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Carla Suarez Navarro.
The 10th seed Indo-American team bowed out with a 6-7(4), 3-6 defeat in their opening round of the women’s doubles.
Sania will now compete in the mixed doubles with new partner Bob Bryan.
However, there was something to cheer for India in the men’s doubles as Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhuapthi advanced to the second round with their respective partners.
Bopanna and American Rajeev Ram, seeded 12th, defeated Australia’s Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios 6-2, 6-4 in the first round.
The fifth-seeded duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Canadian Daniel Nestor ousted the Spanish pair of Pablo Andujar and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-4 in their first round match.
Second seeded Leander Paes and his Czech partner will begin the defence of their title against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson and Isarel’s Jonathan Erlich on Thursday.
Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova scorched into the third round with displays of ruthless dominance to bring some much-needed pizzazz to the main showcourts.
Djokovic remained on course for a third successive title with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-3 demolition of Ryan Harrison, while Sharapova pummelled Misaki Doi 6-0, 6-0 to become the first player in 28 years to hand out consecutive ‘double-bagels’ at a grand slam.
Returning with venom and lacerating the court with his forehands, Djokovic took just 91 minutes to whip past the American and set up a meeting with Radek Stepanek, rating it among his best performances in the early rounds of a major.
David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych had earlier got through the second round with some ease.
Agnieszka Radwanska extended her winning streak this year to 11 matches with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Irina-Camelia Begu in the opening match on Rod Laver Arena, while Zheng Jie wrapped up the day session with a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 upset of local hope Sam Stosur.
American Brian Baker could have been forgiven for letting out a scream of frustration of his own after his tournament ended in a wheelchair when he sustained a serious knee injury.
The 27-year-old, who returned to the professional circuit last year after seven injury-plagued years out, had won the first set against compatriot Sam Querrey when he broke down.
“He said he kind of just felt his knee almost buckle and kind of heard like a pop or a snap,” said 20th seed Querrey.
“He didn’t know if it was bones or a tear, but he couldn’t straighten it, couldn’t walk. I feel awful for him.”
Women’s second seed and 2008 champion Sharapova was in absolutely no mood for sympathy as she dismissed Japan’s Doi in just 47 minutes on Hisense Arena.
The Russian is unlikely to make it through the third round without dropping a game, though, after Venus Williams beat Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-3 in the match to decide her next opponent.
Djokovic is likely to meet Berdych in the quarterfinals, while Ferrer is seeded to play the Serbian world number one in the semis.
Fifth seeded Czech Berdych wrapped up a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 hammering of Frenchman Guillaume Rufin.
Ferrer, seeded fourth, despatched American Tim Smyczek 6-0, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
China’s Li Na battled back from 4-2 down in the second set to secure a 6-2, 7-5 win over Olga Govortsova, but for once she was outshone by compatriot Zheng.
The 2010 semifinalist recorded a 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 win over Stosur but, in truth, the former US Open champion handed her opponent the victory after leading in the deciding set.
“Obviously it’s a pretty hard one to take when you get yourself well and truly into a winning position,” said Stosur, who continued her bad run at home. “At 5-2 up in the third, double break probably is a bit of a choke.” (Agencies)