Rohan Bopanna and Harsh Mankad bowed out of the Belgaum Open ATP Challenger on Thursday, bringing an end to India's campaign in the singles.
However, the duo of Mustafa Ghouse and Vishal Uppal kept the host country's hopes alive by moving into the title round in the doubles.
In the pre-quarter-finals, Bopanna fought till the very end but was beaten at the post by unseeded Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili, who won the battle of wits at 6-7(8-10), 6-4, 7-6(7-4) in a match lasting two-and-half-hours.
In comparison, Mankad was subdued, and lost 4-6, 3-6 to unseeded Swiss, Stephane Bohli.
Ghouse and Uppal advanced to the doubles final after coming from behind to beat compatriots Vishal Punna and Sunil Kumar Sipaeya 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Top seed Danai Udomchoke of Thailand made his exit when he retired after his opponent, Yuri Schukin of Russia, led 7-5, 3-2.
Seventh seed Vadim Kutsenko (Uzbekistan) reached the quarter-finals, eliminating Toshihide Matsui of Japan 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
Schukin will now meet Gabashvili, while Kutsenko will clash with Dieter Kindlmann of Germany, who whipped Ti Chen of Taipei 6-2, 6-1 for berths in the semi-finals.
Russia's Dmitry Vlasov defeated Britain's Lee Childs 7-6(7-3), 6-2 to set up a date with fourth seeded South African Rik De Voest.
The other quarter-final will be between Bohli and Slovakia's Branislav Sekac, who beat Marcello Craca of Germany 7-6(7-4), 2-6, 6-2.