Sania-Vesnina knocked out, Paes-Stepanek through to semifinals

MELBOURNE: It was a mixed day for the Indians at the Australian Open tennis on Wednesday. Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek advanced to the men's doubles semifinals while Sania Mirza and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina threw away 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, but 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. They had 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 semifinals.

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