By IANS
New York : The top seeded pair of India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Serbia’s Nenad Zimonjic warmed up for next week’s US Open with a straight sets victory in New Haven, Connecticut.
The pair opened doubles action Monday at the Pilot Pen Tennis tournament with a 7-5, 6-3 win over the Spanish duo of Nicolas Almagro and Fernando Verdasco, according to the official ATP website.
Bhupathi and Zimonjic are teaming up for the second time this year, having reached the Marseille semi-finals in February.
The Indian won his 40th career ATP title two weeks ago, partnering with Czech veteran Pavel Vizner to claim the Montreal Masters crown.
The top seeds will face another Spanish tandem, David Ferrer and Albert Montanes, in the second round. Ferrer and Montanes defeated Argentines Agustin Calleri and Juan Monaco, 7-6(7-3), 7-6(7-0).
Meanwhile, third seeds Simon Aspelin and Julien Knowle were upset 7-5, 6-4 by Czechs Frantisek Cermak and Leos Friedl. Cermak and Friedl won their 13th title as a team in July at Stuttgart.
Cermak reached the New Haven semi-finals last year with Jaroslav Levinsky, while Friedl and partner Michal Mertinak advanced to the quarter-finals.