Australian Open 2025: India's Challenge in Men's Doubles Ends After Balaji-Varela Pair Crash Out in Second Round

India's N Sriram Balaji and his Mexican partner Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela crashed out of the Australian Open men's doubles after a second-round loss to the Portuguese pair of Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral in Melbourne on Saturday (January 18).

The closely-contested second round match ended with a scoreline of 6-7 (7), 6-4, 3-6 in the favour of the Portuguese duo after two hours and nine minutes of intense play at Melbourne Park.

The first set was a gripping affair that lasted 56 minutes with neither pair able to break serve as it went into a tiebreaker, where Borges and Cabral held their composure under pressure to go one set up.

The Indo-Mexican pair started strong, taking an early 2-1 lead and maintaining their momentum to go up 5-4. However, the Portuguese duo responded well, holding their serve to make it 5-5, and then 6-6, pushing the set into a tiebreak. Borges and Cabral did well to grab the set.

With powerful serves, precise winners, and crucial breakpoints, the Indo-Mexican duo maintained control throughout the second set and sealed it with an ace and a forehand winner to bring the match on level terms.

In the decider, Borges and Cabral broke their rivals in the fourth game to go 3-1 up before both holding their serves. Borges and Cabral then displayed urgency with powerful serve and the former's forehand winners to earn a break in the ninth game and eliminate their rivals.

This brings to an end the Indian men's doubles challenge at the Australian Open 2025 after Rohan Bopanna lost the opening round alongside Colombian partner Nicolas Barrientos. The Indo-Colombian duo went down against Spain's Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar.

In the men's singles competition, the lone India in action, Sumit Nagal also crashed out in the opening round, going down to Czechia's Tomas Machac. However, Bopanna is still in the fray in the mixed doubles and keeps India's challenge alive in the year's first grand slam.

Bopanna and his Chinese partner Zhang Shuai advanced to the round of 16, defeating French-Croatian duo Kristina Mladenovic and Ivan Dodig 6-4, 6-4. The Indo-Chinese duo will next face Monegasque-American pair Hugo Nys and Taylor Townsend on Sunday (January 19).