Bhupathi-Knowle through to Round 2 at Wimbledon

Mahesh Bhupathi (R) returns as his partner Austria’s Julian Knowle (L) stands ready at the net as they play Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer and Spain’s Albert Ramos during their first round men’s doubles match on day three of the 2013 Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament at the All England Club in Wimbledon

Indian tennis ace Mahesh Bhupathi and his Austrian partner Julian Knowle moved to the second round of Wimbledon defeating Leonardo Mayer and Albert Ramos 6-2 6-7(5) 6-4 6-2. The eighth-seeded Indo-Austrian pair won their opening encounter in 2 hours and 37 minutes.

Bhupathi-Knowle started the match well, breaking their opponents twice to take the first set in 30 minutes. However, Mayer-Ramos made a comeback in the second set, twice having a chance to serve out the set. But the gritty seeded pair fought back on both occasions to take the set to a tiebreak. In a closely fought tie-break, the unseeded duo emerged on top and levelled the match at one set apiece.

Bhupathi and Knowle were in the groove for the remainder of the match, as they wrapped up the remaining two sets in an hour, with their opponents not even able to create a break point opportunity.

Bhupathi-Knowle will now face Nicholas Monroe and Simon Stadler in the second round. Monroe-Stadler had earlier defeated Indians Purav Raja and Divij Sharan in the first round.