Lucky loser tag gets Bopanna into Stockholm draw

Thanks to last minute withdrawals, India's Rohan Bopanna has managed to get a main draw spot at the ATP Stockholm Open despite losing in the qualifying rounds.

Bopanna and Max Mirnyi of Belarus have entered the singles draw as Lucky Losers after Tommy Robredo and Tomas Berdych pulled out of the indoor hardcourt tournament.

India's number one singles player, currently ranked 252 on the ATP list, is slated to play Spain's Albert Montanes in the first round on Monday. Bopanna would be playing the 48-ranked Montanes for the very first time on the ATP Tour.

The winner of that match will play either fourth seed Tommy Haas of Germany or Olivier Rochus of Belgium in the second round.

Earlier on Sunday, Peter Wessels of the Netherlands had beaten Bopanna 7-5, 6-2 in the second round of qualifying.

In the doubles event, Bopanna paired up with Rochus to beat Thomas Johansson of Sweden and Todd Perry of Australia 6-2,6-7(4),10-8 in a thrilling first round encounter that lasted for an hour and 22 minutes.

Bopanna fails to make the grade at ATP Stockholm

Rohan Bopanna, India's top-ranked singles player, was denied a place in the main draw of the ATP Stockholm Open by Dutchman Peter Wessels.

In the second round of qualifying on Sunday, Wessels ousted 'Bofors' Bopanna 7-5, 6-2 on Court number 1 of the indoor tournament in the Swedish capital.

Bopanna, ranked 252 in the world, had started well - blazing five aces as the two players picked up three games apiece. One breakpoint had come Bopanna's way early in the match but he failed to capitalise on it - something he was to rue later.

At five games all, Wessels seized his chance when Bopanna gifted him two breakpoints while serving at 15-40. The Indian saved the first but the Dutchman grabbed the next to break serve and lead 6-5.

The 197-ranked Wessels then held his nerve to serve out the next game and take the first set in 33 minutes.

Interestingly, at this stage Bopanna was the better player - with a higher first serve percentage (58%), more aces(7) and fewer doublefaults(1). But the crucial points had all gone to Wessels.

The loss of the first set seemed to affect Bopanna's play and Wessels broke him again in the third game of the second set. The Indian wilted under pressure and Wessels was soon 5-1 up.

Indian hopes were resurrected when Bopanna held serve in the seventh game and then went up 30-15 up on Wessel's serve. But the tall Dutchman sent down his seventh and eighth aces to clinch the set and the match in just 58 minutes.

UPDATE: Thanks to last minute withdrawals, Bopanna has managed to get a main draw spot as a lucky loser at the ATP Stockholm Open despite losing in the qualifying rounds. Click here for story.