Chennai: The party is over for the hosts in singles at the Chennai Open after France’s Benoit Paire put out Yuki Bhambri 6-3, 6-4 here on Thursday. The last Indian in the fray didn’t have much of a chance against the firepower of Paire. Earlier, Roberto Bautista Agut of Spaniard got the better of Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 6-2.
The start was as inauspicious as it could get for Bhambri, as he lost his first service game rather tamely. The Indian, who had been imperious in the previous round against Ramakumar Ramanthan, was probably surprised by the French-man’s unorthodox attacking style of play.
Clocking an average first serve of 195 kmph, Paire ran into the net to finish the volley from loose returns. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t; but it didn’t stop the world no. 47 from being adventurous against an opponent 427 places behind. Despite making two double faults while serving for the set in the ninth game, Paire stormed back with two superb aces to take it 6-3.
Most players would let a dropping ball close to the service line pitch and then go for the kill, but Paire chose to play the ball on the volley, a technique hard to master.
Bhambri dropped serve in the fifth game of the second set to hand his opponent a 3-2 lead. After the sixth, the Frenchman had already served 10 aces while Bhambri was yet to open his account. Serving for the match at 5-4 the Frenchman unleashed another one to take his tally to 12.
Paire said the match was good for him. “I was moving well and I’m really happy to have another match here. It will help my confidence,” he added.
Earlier, the second-seeded Agut started his season in fine fashion with an easy win over world no. 98 Rogerio Dutra Silva. Despite having a lethal single-handed backhand, the Brazilian failed to trouble Agut much. He was let down by a litany of unforced errors as Agut wrapped up the set in 32 minutes, riding on a break in the sixth game.
Silva started the second set with three aces in his first game. His previous match against Serbian Dusan Lajovic was a gruelling three setter, so the Brazilian would have hoped for the same as Agut started to miss sitters. But his concentration went for a toss after he was called for a foot fault while serving for the fifth game at 40-15. An altercation with the official did wonders to his opponent as Silva duly dropped the game and, subsequently, the match.
