Thaindian News

Melbourne, Jan 27 (IANS) India’s Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi are just a match away from finishing a career Grand Slam and now face four-time champions and top seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan in the Australian Open men’s doubles final here Saturday.The third-seeded Indian pair, who are playing together in a Grand Slam after nine years, won 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3 against second seeds Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Daniel Nestor of Canada in two hours and 20 minutes.

Paes, 37, and Bhupathi, 36 , a former World No.1 pair, is looking to add the only major trophy missing from their cabinet for a career Grand Slam. Both players have won three of the four majors, but have twice come short of winning the Australian Open title. They were runners-up together in 1999. Paes also reached the final in 2006 with Martin Damm and Bhupathi in 2009 with Mark Knowles.

“We felt we had a shot at winnng the Australian Open if we play together. It was the only trophy missing from our collection. Now, we are just two sets from winning,” Bhupathi said.

The Bryans needed just 54 minutes to dismiss the unseeded duo of Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-3, 6-2 to cruise into their seventh Melbourne final in eight years.

“We’re really happy to be playing the Bryans in the final,” Paes said. “We both enjoy playing the Bryans so we’re looking forward to that. We enjoy their fast pace and their style of play.

The 32-year-old Bryans, who completed a career Grand Slam in 2006 Wimbledon, are currently unbeaten in 17 straight matches at Melbourne Park and are an impressive 31-1 since claiming their first of the four titles in 2006.

Interestingly, their only loss came in 2008 against Bhupathi and Knowles in the quarter-finals.

The Bryans have a 9-8 record in major finals, while Bhupathi and Paes — who are teaming up in Grand Slam competition for the first time since the 2002 Australian Open - have a 3-2 record.