CALCUTTA, Jan 31: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi did not have too many expectations going into the Australian Open as the top seeded doubles pair. ``Both of us were carrying injuries and we had to look at those before thinking about winning our first Grand Slam,'' Paes said today. Both the players are in Calcutta to take part in the Challenger.

Paes admitted it was disappointing to lose the final. ``We were playing well and our confidence was going up with every match.'' Having already reached the semi-finals thrice, the Indian pair are happy at crossing that hurdle this time. ``Jonas Bjorkman and Pat Rafter (the winning pair) played very well in the final, particularly in the fifth set,'' Paes added. ``We kept on improving with every match, but the injuries were always in our minds.'' For them, it would not have mattered if the Woodies had been their opponents. ``We took every match as it came and didn't really worry about our opponents,'' Paes said.

Bhupathi toowas quite nervous going into the Australian Open. ``It was a good move in taking a week's break before the Open,'' Bhupathi said. This year, the pair are going to concentrate on the Grand Slams and the Super-Nines while trying to cut down on tour events. ``Doubles is very important for us and we will try to reach the Number One spot this year.'' They will be off to Dubai after the Calcutta Challengers, and then play in India's Davis Cup tie against South Korea before taking a break to prepare for Indianwells. The French Open will be tough, Bhupathi feels. ``But then, clay is one of our better surfaces.'' The pair has a good schedule plan as a run-up to the French Open, the next Grand Slam event in the calender.

This year, they will also try and pick up singles points also to enhance their rankings. ``I am ranked 91 now and will be able to get direct entries in many tournaments,'' Paes said. ``That sure is an advantage.'' Paes TOP SEED: Top seed Leander Paes will meet Spain's Oscar Burrieza in the firstround of the ATP Tour-Challenger Tennis Championship at his home courts, South Club. In the other half of the draw, second seed Marcus Ondruska of South Africa will start his campaign against qualifier Jonathan Elrich of Israel. However, none of the two top seeds will be in action tomorrow, the first day of the main rounds. Among the Indians, Davis Cuppers Prahlad Srinath and Syed Fazaluddin, both wild cards, will play their first round matches tomorrow. While local boy Fazaluddin takes on Israel's Behr Noam, Srinath faces a tough contest against seventh seed Peter Tramacchi of the USA. Both the Indians will play their matches on the centre court.

The highly rated tournament will also find Mahesh Bhupathi, another wild card, trying to gain a few ATP points. He will face qualifier Wesley Whitehouse of South Africa in the first round. The singles winner will earn 70 ATP points along with a cheque for $7,200 while the runner-up will get 50 points and a cheque for $4,240.