Bhupathi, Paes bow out of Paris Masters

Paris, Oct 30 (IANS) India's Mahesh Bhupathi joined compatriot Leander Paes in making an early exit from the Paris Masters Thursday. Bhupathi and his Bahamian partner Mark Knowles lost in straight sets to Spain's Rafael Nadal and Argentina's Juan Monaco in the pre-quarter-final.

Third-seeded Bhupathi-Knowles, who received a bye in the first round, were handed a 6-4,6-2 defeat by Nadal and Monaco.

Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy, seeded fourth, were shown the door by Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa who overpowered them 6-3, 6-2, in another the pre-quarter-final. The Indo-Czech pair, too, were given a bye in the first round.