Leander Paes and John Peers out of China Open

Paes has not won an ATP title at all this year, but 3 Grand Slams

Indian ace Leander Paes, who is renowned for being a doubles specialist, has crashed out of the doubles of the China Open today. Partnered by Australian John Peers, the pair lost to Canada's Daniel Nestor and French Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-7, 6-4, 9-11.

The three-setter saw Paes and Peers, who is the longtime doubles partner of Scot Jamie Murray, hit 6 aces to their opponents’ 3, and committed only 3 double faults to Nestor and Roger-Vasselin’s 4, but saved only 1 of 3 break points in the match, eventually outclassed by the Canadian-French pair.

This was Paes and Peers’ first match as a pair, while Nestor and Roger-Vasselin have played doubles before, taking their first ever ATP title earlier this year at the Cincinnati Masters, where Swiss Maestro Roger Federer won the singles title. The pair then took victory over Marcin Matkowski and Nenad Zimonjic, beating them in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2.

Paes was a part of India’s Davis Cup playoffs against the top-ranked Czech team, and with partner Rohan Bopanna lost to the pair of Radek Stepanek and Adam Pavlasek, with the Czech side eventually winning the playoffs, an outcome which ensured India remain within their playoff group of Asia/Oceania.

The 17-Grand Slam winner’s father Vece Paes announced earlier this year that Leander would consider retirement after his appearance at the 2016 Rio Olympics, but not before. Paes has had immense success this year, taking three Slams, each with Swiss partner Martina Hingis. The pair won the Australian Open, following this up with victories at Wimbledon and the recently concluded U.S. Open.

He has not had any ATP titles this year, however. The closest he came to one was at the Delray Beach Open in February, where Paes and partner Raven Klaasen of South Africa lost to the top-ranked Bryan brothers in the final.

Canadian Nestor has frequently been a doubles partner with Paes’ Davis Cup teammate Rohan Bopanna.