Melbourne: India’s challenge in Men’s Doubles came to an early end at Australian Open on Wednesday, with the three pairs involving Indian players losing in the first round itself.

The biggest upset was the new partnership of the Rohan Bopanna and Divij Sharan, seeded 15th, who lost to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia Lopez. The all-Indian pair, who had won the season-opening Maharashtra Open at home, made a brief recovery but lost the match 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

Veteran Leander Paes, who was back in Melbourne 30 years after his first Major there as a junior, also lost in the first round. The Indian and his Mexican partner Miguel Angel Reyes-Varela went down to 5-7, 6-7(4) to the American-Kiwi pair of Austin Krajicek and Artem Sitak.

Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan, playing with Nicholas Monroe, lost 6-4, 6-7(8), 5-7 to Nikola Mektic and Kevin Krawietz.

There are no Indians in the Women’s Doubles. However, Indian players will have a chance in the Mixed Doubles, the draw for which will be held this week.