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Sania keeps Indian interest alive

Last updated on: June 05, 2006 22:11 IST

Sania Mirza provided the only silver lining to a disapponting day for India at the French Open, as she and Slovakian partner Janette Husarova entered the third round of the doubles event on Monday.

Sania and Husarova upset third seeds Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germnay and Meghann Shaughnessy of USA 6-3, 6-4 in the second round at Roland Garros.

The Indo-Slovakian pair will play number 15 seeds Eleni Daniilidou of Greece and A. Medina Garrigues of Spain for a place in the quarter-finals.

Mahesh Bhupathi's dream of claiming a Grand Slam of mixed doubles crowns ended in anti-climax after he and his star partner Martina Hingis were forced to withdraw from the event owing to the latter's indisposition.

"She (Hingis) was not feeling well," Bhupathi said after conceding the second round match to Martina Navratilova and Bob Bryan at Roland Garros.

Bhupathi won the Australian Open earlier this year partnering Hingis for his 10th career Grand Slam title.

He won the Wimbledon and the US Open last year, with Mary Pierce and Daniela Hantuchova respectively.

It completed a sad day at office for Bhupathi who earlier crashed out of the men's doubles after a three-set loss in the quarterfinals.

The 32-year old Bangalorean, partnering Belgian Xavier Malisse, went down to Andrei Pavel of Romania and Germany's Alexander Waske 2-6 6-2 6-1.

There were disappointments galore in the junior championships as well with Sanam Singh and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan going out of the boys' singles.

Jeevan lost in the second round 6-2 6-2 to top seed Thiemo de Bakker of the Netherlands while Sanam was downed by Martin Klizan of Slovakia 6-2 7-5. Sanaa Bhambri's challenge in the girls' doubles met with a fate similar to that of Bhupathi's.

Sanaa and Maya Gaverova of Russia gave a walk over to Gracia Radovanovic of France and Natasa Zoric of Serbia after the latter suffered an injury during her singles match. The Delhi girl had lost to Anouk Tigu of the Netherlands 6-3 5-7 6-2 in the singles first round on Sunday.

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