The Indian duo storms into semifinals with a clinical demolition of Pakistani pair of Aisam Qureshi and Aqeel Khan.
DOHA: Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi kept themselves on track for a gold in men’s doubles by coasting into the semifinals with a straight sets victory over Pakistan. The top-seeded Indian duo, who have shared a troubled off-court relationship for long, put up a clinical display to oust Pakistan’s Aisam Qureshi and Aqeel Khan with a fluent 6-2 6-4 scoreline.
In women’s singles, Chinese top seed Li Na downed the Asian Games defending champion to set up a semifinal showdown against Sania Mirza. Li Na fought back from a set down against Uzbekistan’s Iroda Tulyaganova to sneak through in the second and power her way to victory in the third, winning 3-6 7-5 6-2.
Fourth seed Mirza had an easier time against Suchanun Viratprasert in her quarterfinal, breaking the Thai twice in the first set and thrice in the second to win 6-3 6-2 and bring the adoring Indian crowd to their feet.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to win although I know it won’t be easy,” she said of Tuesday’s showdown with Li.
Li made history at Wimbledon earlier this year when she became the first Chinese woman to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam. The player she has nominated as her biggest challenge here, teammate Zheng Jie, prevailed over Taiwan’s Chan Yung Jan 3-6 6-4 6-2 and now faces Aiko Nakamura for a place in the final. The Japanese advanced after 2002 Games silver medalist Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand twisted her ankle and retired 1-4 down in the third set.
Coming back to men’s doubles, the Indians showed their on-field chemistry was still not much affected by the recent spat as they combined well to send the Pakistani pair packing. The Indian duo opened with a flourish, breaking the Pakistanis in the first and third games to wrap up the first set in only 32 minutes.
“As long as we play at our level, we can win the gold. We know how tough it is, but our gameplan was to play the ball to Aqeel and Paes and I did just that,” Bhupathi said.
However, Rohan Bopanna and Mustafa Ghouse crashed out, losing to the Korean pair of Jung Woong Sun and Kim Sun Young 6-7(2) 1-6 in another quarterfinal.
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