Sania, Bopanna in semis at Sydney

Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna scored contrasting victories with their respective partners to storm into the semi-finals of the Apia International, in Sydney, on Wednesday.

Sania and Bethanie-Mattek Sands shocked second seeds Martina Hingis and Flavia Penneta, winning 6-3, 6-3 in the quarter-finals of the US $731,000 WTA event.

The Indian had to pair with the American since her regular partner, Su-Wei Hsieh, was playing the singles qualifiers at the Australian Open. The decision to again join forces with former partner Mattek-Sands proved spot on since Sania succeeded in reaching the semi-finals in Sydney for the first time.

The strong winds at the venue have always troubled the Indian’s game, which hinges more on timing and rhythm, but thanks to her better fitness and experience of countering such conditions she is doing well here.

It was an indifferent start for Sania-Sands as they trailed 1-3 following an early break, but they went on to win the next eight games in a row to turn tables on the team of the two former world number ones.

Sania had won four WTA doubles titles with Mattek-Sands before. Since the American is making a comeback from surgery, her ranking has taken a hit and thus Sania and she were the last pair to make it to the main draw and are unseeded.

At the US $494,310 ATP event, third seeds Bopanna and Daniel Nestor beat the Italian pair of Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini 7-5, 6-3 in 67 minutes to make it to the semis.

The Indo-Canadian pair next face the French top seeded pair of Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

Meanwhile, at the US $519,395 Heineken Open in Auckland, fourth seeds Leander Paes and Raven Klaasen won a battle of nerves against Jamie Murray and John Peers to advance to the quarter-finals.

Paes and his South African partner needed 86 minutes for a 7-6(3), 4-6, 10-6 victory.

Image: Bethanie-Mattek Sands (left) and Sania Mirza

Photograph: Scott Barbour/Getty Images