Rome, May 2 (IANS) The Indian challenge in the 2,750,000 euros Internazionali BNL d’Italia tennis tournament has ended with Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi bowing out with their doubles partners.
The third seeded pair of Paes and Czech Lukas Dlouhy lost 5-7, 3-6 to the fifth-seeded pair of Brazilian Bruno Soares and Zimbabwean Kevin Ullyett in the quarter-final.

Bhupathi and Bahamian Mark Knowles, seeded fourth, went down fighting 4-6, 7-6(6), 10-8 to second seeds Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic in the semi-final.

The Canadian-Serbian pair, who defeated Bhupathi and Knowles in the Barcelona Open final title last week, broke the Indo-Bahamian duo thrice in the match and came out strong in the super tie-break to win in one hour and 51 minutes.