Australian Open: Sania-Vesnina lose, Paes-Stepanek reach semis (Lead)
January 25th, 2012 - 5:37 pm ICT by IANS
Melbourne, Jan 25 (IANS) Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek advanced to the men’s doubles semi-finals at the Australian Open here Wednesday while Sania Mirza and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina missed a great opportunity to make the women’s doubles final.
Sania and Vesnina lost both the first and third sets after being in a commanding position against Russia’s Vera Zvonareva and Svetlana Kuznetsova — though they won the second easily. In the ultimate analysis, their 51 unforced errors proved their undoing as they went down 6-7(4-7), 6-2, 4-6.
The Indo-Russian pair had more than one opportunity to go 5-2 up in the decider, but unforced errors cost them the match. Earlier, they squandered a chance to wrap up the first set also.
Paes and Stepanek carried on their good form as they strolled to another straight-set victory, this time against the American-Brazilian pair of Eric Butorac and Bruno Soares 6-4, 7-6(7-4).
The Indo-Czech pair will play second seeds Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Canadian Daniel Nestor in the semi-finals.
India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna crashed out in the pre-quarterfinals Sunday.
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- Australian Open: Paes-Stepanek, Sania-Bhupathi in semis (Roundup) - Jan 25, 2012
- Bhupathi-Bopanna knocked out of Australian Open (Lead) - Jan 22, 2012
- Australian Open: Sania-Vesnina surprise Raymond-Huber to enter semis - Jan 24, 2012
- Australian Open: Bhupathi-Bopanna, Sania-Vesnina enter doubles pre-quarters - Jan 21, 2012
- Paes-Stepanek storm into final of Australian Open - Jan 26, 2012
- US Open: Paes, Sania advance to quarterfinals - Sep 03, 2012
- Bhupathi-Venina in mixed doubles final of Wimbledon - Jul 03, 2011
- Paes-Vesnina, Bhupathi-Sania in mixed doubles 2nd round - May 31, 2012
- Paes-Vesnina beat top seeds to enter Wimbledon final - Jul 08, 2012
- Australian Open: Mirza and Vesnina advance to second round - Jan 19, 2012
- Paes-Stepanek, Bhupathi-Bopanna knocked out of Wimbledon - Jul 04, 2012
- Bhupathi-Bopanna shocked in French Open first round - May 31, 2012
- Good day for Indians in Australian Open - Jan 20, 2012
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Tags: australian open, bruno soares, daniel nestor, decider, elena vesnina, eric butorac, leander paes, mahesh bhupathi, max mirnyi, quarterfinals, radek stepanek, rohan bopanna, russian pair, sania mirza, semi finals, svetlana kuznetsova, ultimate analysis, undoing, unforced errors, vera zvonareva