Bhupathi-Bopanna are seeded seventh and face Belarus’s Max Mirnyi and Alexander Bury in the first round starting on Saturday. The unseeded duo of Paes-Vardhan will take on the Dutch pairing of Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer in the 32-team draw that was announced here yesterday.

The Indians will have to play out of their skins for a podium finish. Bhupathi-Bopanna will play either Britain’s Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins or Frenchmen Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet if they clear the first hurdle.