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A heartbreaking end to the campaign for Indian tennis player Sriram Balaji and his partner Gonzalo Escobar from Ecuador as they finish as runners-up in the Brawo Open 2024.
The pair of Balaji-Escobar was up against the Dutch duo of Sander Arends and Robin Haase in the men’s doubles finals of the Braunschweig ATP 125 Challenger tournament.
Despite winning the first set, Sriram Balaji and Gonzalo Escobar couldn’t maintain their lead and suffered a disappointing loss. The top-seeded Indo-Ecuadorian duo had got off to a flying start as they took the first set comfortably 6-4 to take the lead.
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However, the second-seeded pair of Arends-Haase came back strongly from that position, putting up a fighting performance in the second set, winning it 4-6. It was then all down to the final set – the super tie-breaker.
It was a perfectly nail-biting set as both pairs gave their all in their quest for the title. Ultimately, Sander Arends and Robin Haase held their nerves to seal the set 8-10, as well as the match and the coveted trophy.
How important is the runner-up finish in the Brawo Open for Sriram Balaji ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024
Sriram Balaji and Gonzalo Escobar, the top-seeded pair, were always one of the favorites to clinch the Brawo Open 2024 title. They didn’t disappoint the fans and played brilliantly right from the start.
They dominated the proceedings as they made their way to the finals, before settling for a runners-up finish. However, this result was still very important for Sriram Balaji, who was coming from a first-round exit at the Wimbledon 2024.
A good performance here at the clay-based courts of Brawo Open would have given a huge boost to Balaji’s confidence ahead of the Paris Olympics 2024. He will be paired up with the Indian veteran Rohan Bopanna in men’s doubles.
The Paris Olympics 2024 will be played at Stade Roland Garros, which is a clay-court venue, and thus the Brawo Open served as a great preparation ground for Sriram Balaji.
