Second seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi went down in the semi-finals of the Telecom Italia Masters in Rome, Italy.

It was their first loss on clay this year and also ended their ten-match wining streak.

The duo were beaten by the Aussie pair of Wayne Arthurs and Paul Hanley 6-7(6), 3-6 in the semi-finals.

The first set was closely fought as Bhupathi/Mirnyi came back from a break down at 4-5 to send the set into the tie-breaker. They dropped a minibreak at 6-6 and lost the set.

The second set started with a blitzkrieg from the Aussies, who won 12 of the first 14 points including a break in the second game to lead 3-0. Thereafter, games went with serve as the Aussies went on to take match.

The Aussies went on to win the title. They defeated the seventh seeded French pair of Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro 6-1, 6-3 in the final.

Arthurs, ranked No.36 in doubles on last week's ATP rankings, and Hanley (No.38), did not drop a set all week at the $2.45 million event.

They accounted for sixth seeds Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett, Roger Federer and Paradorn Srichaphan and the No.2 pair of Bhupathi and Mirnyi before the final.

Llodra and Santoro are the reigning Australian Open champions, and their defeat by Arthurs and Hanley is significant in view of the upcoming French Open later this month.

Bhupathi/Mirnyi and Leander Paes/David Rikl will be in acton at the Hamburg Masters this week.