Bopanna-Mergea lose in Monte Carlo opener

Monaco: Indo-Romanian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea went down in the men's doubles opening round of the Monte-Carlo Masters to wildcard French-Swiss combine of Benoit Paire and Stan Wawrinka at the Monte Carlo Country Club here.

Bopanna and Mergea gave a tough fight but eventually went down 6-7 (6), 6-4, 10-7. After sharing the first two sets, the wildcard pair easily edged ahead to take the super tiebreak and then the match.

Paire and Wawrinka will next take on sixth seeded Indo-Canadian pair of Leander Paes and Daniel Nestor, who received a first round bye.