India's Australian Open Ends as Bhambri Falls; Sinner Powers Into Quarters

India's Yuki Bhambri and his partner Andre Goransson were defeated in the third round of men's doubles, ending India's participation in the Australian Open. In men's singles, defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced to the quarterfinals with a straight-sets victory over Luciano Darderi. Despite a late challenge from Darderi in the third set, Sinner's quality saw him through to a tie-break win. This marks Sinner's fourth Australian Open quarterfinal, tying him with several other active stars.

Key Points: Yuki Bhambri Loss Ends India's Australian Open 2026 Campaign

  • Bhambri/Goransson lose in straight sets
  • India's campaign at AO 2026 ends
  • Sinner defeats Darderi to reach QFs
  • Sinner equals record for QF appearances
  • Match featured a late surge from Darderi
2 min read

Australian Open: Yuki Bhambri's third-round loss ends India's campaign

India's tennis campaign at Australian Open 2026 concludes after Yuki Bhambri's doubles loss. Jannik Sinner advances to men's singles quarterfinals.

"Sinner's class was too much, and he prevailed in a battle that got a little testing for him towards the end."

Melbourne, January 26

India's Yuki Bhambri and his Swedish partner Andre Goransson suffered defeat in the third round of the men's doubles match in the Australian Open 2026. With this loss, India's campaign at the season's first Grand Slam comes to an end.

The Indo-Swedish pair, seeded 10th, went down in straight sets to the Brazilian duo Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos, losing 7(9)-6(7), 6-3 in an hour and 44 minutes, according to Olympics.com.

In the men's singles event, two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner advanced into the quarterfinals of the ongoing Australian Open, defeating compatriot Luciano Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(2) in a largely dominant display on Monday.

The current world number two outclassed Darderi 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(2) to qualify for his fourth Australian Open quarterfinal, levelling with stars like Grigor Dimitrov, Kei Nishikori and Stefanos Tsitsipas for the fourth-most appearances in the final eight Down Under among active players.

The match lasted two hours and nine minutes. This was Sinner's maiden clash with Darderi, and he dictated the terms with clean hitting and sharp serves, but was threatened by a late surge by Darderi from the baseline, levelling the scores at 4-4. The match shifted to a tie-break, where Sinner came out on top.

Sinner was at the top of his game, striking with astonishing authority and precision. Having struggled with cramps in his previous match against Eliot Spizzirri, he had some troubles in the final set against Darderi as well, both physically and in terms of the game, as the final set headed to a tie-breaker. But nonetheless, Sinner's class was too much, and he prevailed in a battle that got a little testing for him towards the end.

- ANI

Share this article:

Reader Comments

P
Priya S
It's disappointing that India's campaign is over so soon. We really need to develop more depth in singles. Doubles is great, but a strong singles player captures the nation's imagination. Where is the next Sania or Paes coming from?
V
Vikram M
Yuki fought well, reaching the third round is an achievement. The focus now should shift to Sumit Nagal and our other players in the ATP circuit. The AITA needs a better long-term plan, not just hope for one-off results.
R
Rohit P
Sinner is just on another level! What a player. But back to Indian tennis - we need more tournaments and infrastructure at the grassroots. Every kid wants to play cricket, but where are the public tennis courts?
M
Meera T
Heartbreaking to see the campaign end. Yuki has had such a career plagued by injuries, it's amazing he's still competing at this level. Respect for his perseverance! 👏 Let's support our athletes through ups and downs.
D
David E
Watching from the UK. The Brazilian pair played a brilliant tie-break. Sometimes you just get outplayed on the day. Indian fans should be proud their player was seeded in a Grand Slam doubles event - that's a big deal.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Leave a Comment

Minimum 50 characters 0/50