Sport - Tennis   

Bhupathi-Mirnyi pair triumphs

NEW YORK SEPT.6 India's Mahesh Bhupathi teamed up with Max Mirnyi of Belarus to win the U.S. Open men's doubles title on Friday. The third-seeded pair of Bhupathi and Mirnyi defeated the Czech pair of Jiri Novak and Radek Stepanek 6-3, 3-6, 6-4.

Earlier, the second-seeded Lisa Raymond and Mike Bryan of the United States defeated top-seeded Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia and Bob Bryan of the U.S. 7-6 (11-9), 7-6 (7-1) to win the mixed doubles title.

On Thursday, smacking aces at over 209 kph (130 mph), covering every inch of the net, Pete Sampras looked like the younger man and dominated an apparently awe-struck Roddick 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the U.S. Open semifinals. And it took all of 90 minutes.

As the 31-year-old Sampras pumped his fist to celebrate a volley winner that closed the second set, fellow American Roddick, 20, flashed an admiring thumbs up and then bowed, acknowledging that his idol still has what it takes.

The difference in the players' ages was obvious when they walked out on a windy night: Roddick in his shiny blue T-shirt, his spiky hair peering out from above a visor, and Sampras in his proper tennis whites, nothing covering his receding hairline.

Sampras, seeking his fifth U.S. Open championship, will be a big favourite on Saturday against No. 24 Sjeng Schalken of the Netherlands, who outlasted No. 28 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (2) on Thursday to get to his first major semifinal.

Saturday's other semifinal is between American Andre Agassi and defending champion Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, yet another duel between a 30-something and a 20-something.

Sampras had 13 aces and a total of 43 winners to 18 for Roddick, who might have been a step slow, having bruised his left foot during an earlier match. Still, he never came close to solving Sampras' serve, managing only one break point.

On Thursday, Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi made it to the doubles final with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over the sixth-seeded Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, in the semifinals.

The Indo-Belarussian pair had earlier in the day defeated the fifth-seeded Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe 7-6 (7-4) 5-7, 7-6 (7-4) in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Jiri Novak and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic defeated the fourth-seeded Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden and Todd Woodbridge of Australia 6-2, 7-6 (7-4). The Czech duo had also accounted for the second-seeded Donald Johnson and Jared Palmer of the US in the quarterfinals.

In the girls' doubles second round, the sixth-seeded Sania Mirza and Isha Lakhani recorded a 6-3, 7-5 triumph over Jennifer Heinser and Alex McGoodwin of the US.

The Indian pair will take on Ivanna Israilova of Uzbekistan and Eugenia Linetskaya of Russia in the quarterfinals.

The results: Men's singles: Quarterfinals:

24-Sjeng Schalken (Ned) bt 28-Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7-2); 17-Pete Sampras (US) bt 11-Andy Roddick (US) 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Doubles (final): 3-Mahesh Bhupathi (Ind)/Max Mirnyi (Blr) bt 11-Jiri Novak/Radek Stepanek (Czech) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4. Semifinals: 11-Jiri Novak/Radek Stepanek (Czech) bt 4-Jonas Bjorkman (Swe)/Todd Woodbridge (Aus) 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); 3-Mahesh Bhupathi (Ind)/Max Mirnyi (Blr) bt 6-Bob/Mike Bryan (US) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Quarterfinals: 3-Mahesh Bhupathi (Ind)/Max Mirnyi (Blr) bt 5-Wayne Black/Kevin Ullyett (Zim) 7-6 (7-4), 5-7, 7-6 (7-4).

Women's doubles (semifinals): 6-Elena Dementieva (Rus)/Janette Husarova (Slo) bt 3-Cara Black (Zim)/Elena Likhovtseva (Rus) 7-5, 6-1.

Mixed doubles (final): 2-Lisa Raymond/Mike Bryan (US) bt 1-Katarina Srebotnik (Slo)/Bob Bryan (US) 7-6 (11-9), 7-6 (7-1).

2-Virginia Ruano Pascual (Esp)/Paola Suarez (Arg) bt Nadia Petrova (Rus)/Nicole Pratt (Aus) 6-1, 6-3.

Quarterfinals: 6-Elena Dementieva (Rus)/Janette Husarova (Slov) bt 15-Kim Clijsters (Belg)/Meghann Shaughnessy (US) 6-4, 6-3.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

Athletics

• An Open with several 'shut cases'
  
  Chess
  
• Eesha, Swati share lead
  
  Cricket
  
• India has its task cut out
• Loss of toss, a blow to Indian hopes
  
  Hockey
  
• India capitulates to Korea
  
  Racing : Motor
  
• Bourne in awe-inspiring form
  
  Tennis
  
• Bhupathi-Mirnyi pair triumphs
• Bopanna gets past Dooyev
  
  

Copyright © 2002, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu