Shanghai Masters: Hesh-Bopanna, Paes-Stepanek in semis

Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna may meet Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek in the summit clash of the Shanghai Masters after reaching the semifinals of the elite ATP tournament on Friday. 

Bhupathi and Bopanna, seeded seventh, shocked second seeds Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor 7-6(7), 6-4 in one hour 23 minutes in the quarter-finals of the USD 3,531,600 hard court event. 

Later in the day, fourth seeded Paes and Stepanek got the better of unseeded combo of Canadian Milos Raonic and  Austrian Jurgen Melzer 7-5, 6-7 (4), 10-5 in one hour and 36 minutes contest. 

Bhupathi and Bopanna next face unseeded British pair of Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins. 

Saving five breakpoints, including four in the opening set, proved vital in Bhupathi and Bopanna's win. 

Paes and Stepanek will take on the winner of the other quarterfinal between the pairs of Eric Butorac and Philipp Petzschner and Marin Cilic and Marcelo Melo.