Tennis: Aisam, Bopanna crash out of London Masters

Duo lose 3rd match in a row at World Tour Finals.

LONDON: Aisamul Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna crashed out of the ATP World Tour Finals, losing their final group match 6-2, 6-1 to the Polish duo of Mariusz Frystenberg and Marcin Matkowski.

The fifth-seeds had qualified for the prestigious tournament for the first time in their careers at the back of an impressive year in which they had won their first ATP Masters title in Paris earlier in the month. However, the Indo-Pak Express failed to make an impression in London, as they crashed to defeats in all three matches they played.

Djokovic feeling the strain

Meanwhile, world number one Novak Djokovic admitted feeling the strain of a remarkably successful season after the Serb was crushed 6-3, 6-1 by Spain’s David Ferrer.

The 24-year-old has struggled with back and shoulder injuries since landing the US Open and was completely outplayed by Ferrer for only his fifth defeat in 75 matches.

“Credit to David, he played a great match but I just wasn’t there,” said Djokovic. “Maybe it’s because of the length of the season. It was the worst match I’ve played this season with so many unforced errors. I’m not playing well. That’s a fact.”

Meanwhile, Tomas Berdych beat Janko Tipsarevic 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 to remain in the hunt for a place in the last-four.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2011.