India in 2016 Rio Olympics - both Sania Mirza and Leander Paes bow out in first stage itself

It was a bad start to India's hopes of winning medals in tennis in 2016 Rio Olympics as both Sania Mirza and Leander Paes bowed out in their doubles match. World No 1 doubles player Sania Mirza's campaign in the women's event ended in their first round match as she and Sania irza and her partner Prarthana Thombare lost their match against the Chinese pair of Shuai Zhang and Shuai Peng.
It was a closely contested match that the Chinese won 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 7-5 and it lasted two hours and 44 minutes with the Indian duo putting up a stiff resistance. But - it was not enough.
This has been reported in deccanchronicle.com dated 7 August 2016.

In case Sania's partner had better quality of the game, Sania would have taken India home as she shouldered bulk of the responsibility. But, Prarthana is considered to be the weak link. She did exhibit her fighting skills but was lacking the quality. Her poor service cost India the match because she lost her serve on a number of occasions.
Side by side, in the men's group, Leander Paes' dreams of winning a second Olympic medal went up in smoke as he and Rohan Bopanna made an inglorious exit in the opening round of the men's doubles competition. They lost in straight sets to the Polish pair of Marcin Matkowski and Lukasz Kubot 4-6 6-7 (6-8).
Paes was playing in his record seventh and probably his last Olympics. He was a bronze medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Games. Unfortunately, his campaign ended in only 84 minutes. It was not a winning combination.
India's hopes in tennis is now the Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna in the mixed doubles. It is probably the only event where they are believed to have a realistic chance to get a medal.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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