The Indian challenge in the men's doubles at the French Open [ Images ] tennis championships came to an end on Thursday, when Leander Paes [ Images ] and partner David Rikl were beaten in the semi-finals.

The fifth seeded Indo-Czech Republic pair was beaten by the third seeds Bob and Mike Bryan [ Images ] of the United States 4-6, 3-6 on the Suzanne Lenglen [ Images ] court.

The Bryans needed just a break in each set to emerge triumphant.

Paes and Rikl, who had beaten second seeds Mahesh Bhupathi [ Images ] and Max Mirnyi [ Images ] in the quarter-finals, had a chance to effect the first break of the match in the seventh game of the first set but the Bryans saved five break-points to hold serve.

Games continued with serve till Paes and Rikl were broken in the tenth game. That gave the United States pair the set at 6-4.

In the second set too the story was similar. The Bryans broke in the sixth game and held thereafter to take the set and match at 6-3.

The Bryans face the defending doubles champions and 11th seeds Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Paul Haarhuis, who outclassed Australia's [ Images ] No10 seeds Paul Hanley [ Images ] and Wayne Arthurs 6-4, 6-4 in the other semi-final.