And, now India’s mixed double pair of Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna also failed to reach the final as lost the semifinal match against the USA’s Venus Williams and Rajeev Ram by 6-2 2-6 3-10 on Saturday.
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Mirza and Bopanna were one of the few medal hopes remaining for India in the tournament after most of the big names faltered at Rio.
The 32-year-old of Indian origin came up with a much better performance in the second set and was excellent with his serves and ground strokes as well as with his returns at the net which rattled Sania-Bopanna a bit.
The second set was bit more even with Indian pair breaking the Hradecka serve to go 3-1 up after Mirza sent booming forehands into the back of the court and a cross-court victor clinched the break of serve.
Sania said it would take some time to get over this.
Also, Sania sported him with her strong forehand.
Indian started on an ominous note as Bopannna was broken in the second game of the match. They, however, suffered a reverse in the second set, dropping it 2-6.
Former Asian Games gold medal victor Vikas seemed the more assured boxer and will face his stiffest challenge against Bektemir Melikuziev of Uzbekistan, who has also beaten the Indian in the final of the 2015 Asian Championships, on Sunday and a win will ensure the Indian a bronze medal.
The Australians fought back, breaking Bopanna’s serve in the very next game to level the scores at 5-5. The two will now face Czech Republic’s Lucie Hradecká and Radek Štěpánek for bronze medal on Sunday. The Indians were leading 5-4 and served for the set. The Indians broke Hradecka’s serve in the fourth game to go up 3-1. That break of serve spurred on US, who raced to a 5-2 lead in no time and forced a match tie-breaker by breaking India again in the eighth game. “I can read the serve well enough I am able to get to it even if it is a 200kph serve”. Sometimes, you put your best foot and still lose.
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The world number one doubles player Sania said the challenge would be to overcome mental fatigue as she seeks her first Olympic medal from three appearances.
