WIMBLEDON(PTI): India’s fragile challenge in the main draw of the Wimbledon tennis championships fizzled out June 24 when Davis Cupper Leander Paes and his Italian partner Laurence Tieleman were beaten 62 76 63 in a first round men’s doubles match by the 15th seeded Ameri can pair, David Wheaton and Richey Reneberg.

The Indo Italian combination had dazzled during the Queen’s club tournament a few days before Wimbledon, and were expected to give a tough time to the highly ranked Americans.

In fact, Paes and Tieleman had scored two significant victories at Queens, including one in the second round over the duo who beat them Thursday,

Paes and Tieleman had beaten the strong pair of Pete Sampras and Goran Ivanisevic in their first round on the Queens grass and then knocked out Weaton Reneberg before losing in the third round to Australian John Fitzgerald and Swede Anders Jarryd who have won the Wimbledon twice and are seeded second here this year.

Paes and Tieleman were in the match Thursday for a brief period in the second set. Sadly, it was a totally off day for the blonde haired Italian who incidentally won through the qualifying tournament at Roehampton and has already won two matches in the mains singles draw here.

Article extracted from this publication >>July 2, 1993