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Prakash, Somdev in Wimbledon doubles draw

June 18, 2009 22:35 IST

Prakash Amritraj completed an Indian quartet in the Wimbledon championships after qualifying for the men's doubles on Thursday.

The Indian ace and Pakistan's Aisam-ul Haq Qureshi, seeded seventh, shocked Thailand's fourth seeded pair Sanchai and Sonchat Ratiwatana 7-6(5), 6-4 in the second and final round.

Earlier in the day, Prakash lost his final round of the singles qualifying event 6-3, 5-7, 3-6, 4-6 to American Michael Yani.

He joined fellow-qualifier Somdev Devvarman and seasoned pros Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi in the 64-pair men's doubles draw of the prestigious grass court Grand Slam.

Somdev and his South African partner Kevin Anderson had qualified on Wednesday.

Prakash last played in a Grand Slam men's doubles event at the 2004 Australian Open, where he made a first round exit.

With Prakash's defeat in the singles, India's wait to see a player competing in the singles event of a Grand Slam, since 2002, continues.

It was Prakash himself who last played in a Grand Slam for India, at the 2002 US Open, where he lost both his singles and doubles first round matches.

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