Bhupathi-Sania in mixed doubles semis

MELBOURNE, January 22: An upset second round win followed by a walkover in the quarter-finals ensured Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza a berth in the last four of the mixed doubles event at the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The unseeded Indian team quelled the challenge of Simon Aspelin and Lisa Raymond, seeded second in the event, 6-3, 2-6, 10-7 before benefiting from a walkover given by seventh seeded Czechs Martin Damm and Kveta Peschke.

In the boys’ singles, Yuki Bhambri kept the Indian flag flying by advancing to the third round while curtains were drawn on Karunuday Singh’s campaign.

The eighth seeded Bhambri rallied to beat Slovakia’s Zalan Klempa 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in his second round match and will take on Japanese Tadayuki Loughi in the pre-quarter finals.

Karunuday went down fighting 6-7 (4-7), 4-6 against Tsung-Hua-Yang of Chinese Taipei in the same round.

Sixth seeded Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of Bahamas would take on top seeded pair of Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan in the men’s doubles quarter-finals on Wednesday.