The first time pairing of Top India Doubles Player & Top Indian Singles player did wonders at the ATP250 event in Australia in the build to the grand slam Australian Open.
Rohan Bopanna ATP43 was initially entered in the tournament to play alongside Edouard Roger-Vasselin ATP42 but he got an entry into the parallel running ATP Cup. Ramkumar Ramanathan ATP144 who was scheduled to travel to Melbourne a week earlier to prepare for the Grand Slam Qualifying then made a switch in travel plans to come to Adelaide and the results are now known to everyone. They are the Champions defeating the Seed Eight, Four & One dropping just one set during the whole week.
Ramkumar started his week in Adelaide with Singles Qualifying match against an astonishing talent from Denmark Holger Rune losing a close one (4-6, 6-7(7)). Rune went one to make the main draw at the event losing in the first main draw match. This match was also keenly followed by many Indian tennis fans as India is all set to host Denmark in couple of months for Davis Cup Round match in New Delhi Grass court and Ramkumar v Rune could very well decide the fate of the tie. Starting the season with a close match against the 18 year old from Denmark Ramkumar showed he is ready for the battle come Delhi in March.
After losing the Singles Qualifying it was time for some magic from the new Indian pairing Ramkumar and Rohan in Doubles. They started their campaign in an emphatic fashion beating the Brazil/USA team of Romboli and Cerretani (6-2, 6-1). That match showed that this is not some makeshift team and are in the draw for some serious business.
Next up they were up against a seasoned American pairing of Lammons and Withrow, Eigth seed of the tournament, the match had everything for the tennis fans. The match went on for an hour and thirty seven minutes with all the set going to tie break with both the teams holding on to their serves. Indian team fired in 13 aces during the course of the match to win it from a set down to grabbing the win in the Super Tie- Break (6-7(4), 7-6(3), 10-4.
In the Quarterfinals the Indian team which is fondly called as RAMBO or RAMANNA made quick work of the unseeded pair of Bonzi and Nys from France and Monaca winning the match in less than an hour (6-1, 6-3) to book the Semifinal match against fourth seed of the tournament. The way the Indian team had been playing through the tournament a spot in the final was on the card and they didn’t disappoint going on full throttle to beat the fourth seeds as well in straight set giving them no chance for a comeback. The match lasted for not even an hour and the score line showed the dominance (6-2, 6-4). The Indian team was all fired up for the Finals and the fans were eagerly waiting for the clash on early Sunday morning at nine in this winter season.
