Men's Reigning Doubles Champs Dethroned
by Neil E. Schlecht
Friday, September 5, 2003
The No. 1 seeds and defending champions in men's doubles, Mahesh
Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi, were summarily dismissed in the quarterfinals
by the crafty French team of Fabrice Santoro and Michael Llodra, the
No. 6 seeds, 6-2, 6-2.
Santoro and Llodra broke Bhupathi's serve at love in the third game
of the first set, nailing sparkling returns and forcing volley errors
from the top seeds. Bhupathi was broken again for a 5-2 lead, and
Santoro confidently served out the set with an ace.
The second set went just as quickly. Santoro and Llodra continued
to hit low, diving returns; acute angles; and sharp, often two-fisted,
volleys. They broke Bhupathi yet again in his first service game and
raced to a 4-0 advantage, acquiring a break of Mirnyi's normally
powerful serve. In that game, Llodra hit a great, deep lob that
forced an error, a backhand return down the line for a winner, and
then Santoro's return caught the tape and bounced over Bhupathi's
head at net for the break.
Santoro and Llodra successfully mixed up their returns and flustered
their opponents at net, dismantling the defending champs without much
of a challenge.
Perhaps Bhupathi and Mirnyi should have prayed for rain.
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