Date:08/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/08/stories/2007070856901600.htm

Sport - Tennis

Bopanna in line for double

NEW DELHI: Rohan Bopanna lined himself up for a double as he made the singles final apart from winning the doubles title in the $50,000 Shelbourne Irish Open Challenger tennis tournament at Dublin.The Indian Davis Cupper defeated Conor Niland of Ireland 6-4, 6-4 in the semifinals to set up a title clash with qualifier Martin Pedersen of Denmark.

Bopanna had dropped only one set in the run up to the final on the artificial grass. He beat the second-seeded Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals after beating the fifth-seeded Simon Stadler of Germany and Ti Chen of Chinese Taipei in the first two rounds in that order.

Bopanna, seeded second with Adam Feeney of Australia, humbled the top-seeded Lars Burgsmuller and Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-2, 6-2 in the final.

Tough duel

The Indo-Australian duo had weathered a tough fight in the quarterfinals, beating Frederik Nielsen and Martin Pedersen of Denmark 3-6, 7-6(5), 17-15.

The doubles title was worth 55 ATP points for Bopanna who had made it to the finals of the ATP Tour events at Chennai and Mumbai last year.