Indian-Swedish Duo Earns Tenth Seed at Australian Open
India's Yuki Bhambri and his Swedish partner Andre Goransson have secured the tenth seeding in the men's doubles draw at the Australian Open. Both players hold strong individual rankings, sitting at 21 and 22 respectively in the ATP Tour's doubles standings. This seeding positions them as serious contenders in the prestigious Grand Slam tournament.
First-Round Challenge Against Wildcard Entrants
The Indo-Swedish pair will begin their campaign against Australian wildcards James Duckworth and Cruz Hewitt. Duckworth, aged 33, brings experience to the court. Hewitt, just 17 years old, is the son of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt. This match presents an intriguing clash between an established seeded team and ambitious local entrants.
Recent Form and Tournament Path
Bhambri and Goransson formed their partnership recently. They competed together in Brisbane and Auckland before arriving in Melbourne. Their results showed improvement, with an early exit in Brisbane followed by a semifinal appearance in Hobart. The tenth seeds find themselves in the bottom top-half of the 64-team draw.
If they advance past the first round, they could face a significant third-round challenge. The fifth-seeded German duo of Tim Puetz and Kevin Krawietz potentially await them at that stage. This matchup would test the Indo-Swedish combination against one of the tournament's top pairs.
Other Notable Teams in the Draw
The men's doubles competition features several compelling storylines. British players Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool headline the draw as top contenders. They might encounter the Australian wildcard pair of Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis in the third round, creating a potential blockbuster match.
Another Asian combination enters the tournament through different circumstances. India's Niki Kaliyanda Poonacha and Thailand's Pruchya Isaro, both 30 years old, earned their place via the Asia-Pacific wildcard playoffs in Chengdu last November. Ranked 145 and 150 respectively, they face a difficult opening match against Spaniards Pedro Martinez and Jaume Munar.
For Poonacha, this marks his Grand Slam debut at Melbourne Park. The Indian-Thai duo landed in the bottom half of the draw, setting up a challenging path from the very beginning. Their journey represents the broader international nature of modern tennis, with players from different nations joining forces to compete at the highest level.
