Australian Open '17: Leander Paes-Andre Sa knocked out in first round of men's doubles

Paes and his partner Martina Hingis will face Australian pair of Destanee Aiava and Marc Polmans on Friday

Melbourne: India`s Leander Paes and Brazil`s Andre Sa crashed out in the men`s doubles event of the Australian Open after losing 6-4, 6-7, 4-6 to Max Mirnyi and Treat Huey in the first round on Thursday.

Paes and Sa secured a crucial break in the fifth game of the opening set to go 3-2 up and then held on to the lead to take the set 6-4.

Neither team secured a break in the second, which went into a tiebreak, in which Paes/Sa lost serve three times, conceding the set and taking the match into a decider.

Tenth seeds Mirnyi/Huey secured a break in the seventh game of the third set, holding on to the lead to see out the set 6-4 and advance to the third round.

Earlier, Indian duo Purav Raja and Divij Sharan took an early exit from the men`s doubles event after losing 7-6(9) 7-6(4) to Jonathan Eysseric and Fabrice Martin in their opening match.

Paes is still in contention in mixed doubles. He and his partner Martina Hingis will face Australian pair of Destanee Aiava and Marc Polmans in the first round on Friday.