Australian Open: Sania, Paes reach mixed-doubles quarters
Indian tennis stars outplayed their opponents in contrasting wins
Melbourne: Sania Mirza and Leander Paes carved out contrasting wins with different partners to reach the mixed-doubles quarterfinals at the Australian Open tennis tournament on Monday.
Top seeds Sania and her Brazilian partner Bruno Soares edged past Abigail Spears and Santiago Gonzalez 7-5, 6-7 (3),10-8 before seventh seeds Paes and Martina Hingis outplayed the Spanish combine of Anabel Medina Garrigues and Pablo Andujar 6-3, 6-1 on Show Court 3.
The US-Mexican pair of Spears and Gonzalez gave a bit of a hard time to Sania and Soares but the experienced pair handled the pressure well to seal the match in a tense super tie-break.
Later in the day, Paes and Hingis were clinical against their Spanish opponents, wrapping up the contest in 51 minutes. The Indo-Swiss pair converted four out of their 10 break points besides winning bulk of the points on serve.
(Photo: AP)
There were also cheers for India in the junior boys singles section as Sumit Nagal humbled Yosuke Watanuki of Japan 6-2, 6-3 in the second round encounter.