Paes-Stepanek in Australian Open quarters, Bopanna-Qureshi lose (India Roundup)

Melbourne, Jan 19 (IANS) Fifth seeds Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek ended Yuki Bhambri and Michael Venus’s impressive run in their first Grand Slam to reach the men’s doubles quarter-finals at the Australian Open here Sunday. Seventh seeds Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi exited the competition after losing to 12th seeds Treat Huey and Dominic Inglot in the third round.

The Indo-Czech pairing of Paes-Stepanek comfortably beat the unseeded Bhambri-Venus combine 6-3, 6-2 in just over an hour at the Margaret Court Arena. With the loss ended the spirited show of the duo from India and New Zealand. Bhambri-Venus earlier stunned 10th seeds Jean-Julien Rojer of the Netherlands and Horia Tecau of Romania in the second round.

Paes-Stepanek now take on 13th seeds Michael Llodra and Nicolas Mahut. The French team shocked No.2 seeds Alexander Peya of Austria and Bruno Soares of Brazil in another third-round match.

Huey of the Philippines and Inglot of Britain sent the India-Pakistan Express of Bopanna and Qureshi packing, winning the contest 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) in an hour and 19 minutes.

Paes later turned up for his opening mixed doubles tie with Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia. They advanced with a 7-5, 4-6, 10-7 win over Croatian Ajla Tomljanovic and Australian James Duckworth.

Mahesh Bhupathi, who is already out of the men’s doubles, began well in the mixed doubles alongside Elena Vesnina of Russia. The eighth seeds edged past Spain’s Arantxa Parra Santonja and David Marrero 6-7 (3), 6-4, 10-5.

In junior girls’ singles, Katie Boulter of Britain defeated Dhruthi Tatachar Venugopal of India 6-3, 6-3 in the first round.

However, Dhruthi won her doubles match with Snehadevi Reddy. The Indian pair beat Japan’s Nozomi Ohya and Yukina Saigo 6-2, 6-7 (4), 10-5.