Defending champions Leander Paes [Images] and Mahesh Bhupathi [Images] assured themselves a medal after breezing into the semi-finals of the men's doubles at the 15th Asian Games in Doha on Monday.

The top seeded Indian pair beat Aisam Qureshi and Aqeel Khan of Pakistan, the only unseeded pair to make it to the last eight, 6-2, 6-4, at the Khalifa tennis and squash complex.

The ace Indian duo got off to a flying start, racing off to a 4-0 lead before taking the first set 6-2 in 32 minutes.

The second set though ran a lot closer, with the Pakistani duo keeping their nerves to stretch it to 4-4. But Paes-Bhupathi got the vital break in the ninth game to coast to victory.

The Indian pair will play the winner of match between Denis Istomin and Murad Inoyatov of Uzbekistan and Cecil Mamiit and Frederick Taino of the Philippines.

Paes and Bhupathi are loking to make amends for a lacklustre showing in the first round of the team event, where they were beaten by the Chinese Taipei pair of Yeu Tzuoo Wang and Yen Hsun Lu 6-2, 6-3.

India's hopes of a second semi-final berth were dashed when fourth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Mustafa Ghouse went down 6-7, 1-6 to Woong Sun Jun and Sun Young Kim of Korea.