Rome Masters: Bhupathi-Bopanna lose final to Bryans

Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna ended runners-up at the Rome Masters after a tame straight sets defeat at the hands of top seeded American team of Mike and Bob Bryan in Rome on Sunday.

The sixth seeded Indian combination lost 2-6, 3-6 in the summit clash of the euro 3,204,745 clay court event. 

Such was the domination of the veteran American pair that Indians could not earn even a single break chance. 

The Indians lost their serve twice in the opening set and once in the second.

Bhupathi and Bopanna were playing their second final of the season and first together. 

Bhupathi had won the Dubai event with Michael Llodra while Bopanna had triumphed at Marseille, France with Colin Fleming. 

With their runners-up finish, Bhupathi and Bopanna split 76,060 euros as prize money and earned 600 ranking points each.

Meanwhile, Serena Williams crushed third seed Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3 to win the wome's final and extend her winning streak to 24 matches.

World number one Williams won a fourth consecutive tour title, he unbeaten run including title successes in Miami, Charleston and Madrid.

The American won her first Rome title since 2002, the year she won her only French Open.