Indo-Pak Express rolls into third round

Wozniacki heads out; Federer eases through to last-16 of French Open.

PARIS:

Pakistan tennis ace Aisamul Haq Qureshi and his Indian doubles partner Rohan Bopanna advanced to the third round of the French Open after defeating Argentine Maxima Gonzalez and Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.

Just a day earlier, the Indo-Pak Express made a flying start to their title campaign with a convincing first-round victory over Andreas Seppi and Simone Vagnozzi, outclassing them 6-3, 6-2.

Meanwhile, in another doubles match, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza and her Russian partner Elena Vesnina overcame Kristina Barrois and Johanna Larsson 7-6, 6-3.

Federer through

Roger Federer, the 2009 champion and playing in his 46th consecutive grand slam tournament, cruised into the last-16, disposing of Serbian 29th-seed Janko Tipsarevic 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.  Federer is also playing the French Open as the third-seed, his lowest ranking at a grand slam since Wimbledon in 2003.

“They were tricky conditions,” said Federer. “There was a chance of rain so it was good. I thought that it would have been a lot more difficult. The first set was the key. That gave me confidence and it made him doubt his game plan.”

Meanwhile, Spanish seventh-seed David Ferrer also reached the last-16 with a comfortable 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 win over Sergiy Stakhovksy, the Ukrainian 31st-seed.

More woes for Wozniacki

Meanwhile, Caroline Wozniacki’s Grand Slam misery plunged to new depths as Daniela Hantuchova sent her packing at the third-round stage with a 6-1, 6-3 win in just 73 minutes.

Wozniacki held her opening service game to draw level at 1-1 and then lost nine games in a row as Hantuchova, playing in her 41st Grand Slam event, ran her ragged. However, she secured her first service break to get to 4-2 and then held her own serve. With a hint of another comeback in the air, the pressure was on the Slovak, but she comfortably held to love to get to 5-3.

She then clinched the win of her career in the following game when a dismal Wozniacki netted a backhand drive.

Schiavone advances, Stosur falls

There were mixed fortunes for last year’s finalists at this event, with defending champion Francesca Schiavone reaching the last-16, and Samantha Stosur crashing out after being a break up in the deciding set.

Schiavone ambled into the fourth round after China’s Peng Shuai became the second player in the women’s draw to suffer debilitating health problems. The Italian was leading 6-3, 1-2 when Peng decided to pull out.

Meanwhile, Stosur was serving at 2-1 up against unseeded Gisela Dulko of Argentina when two double faults halted her momentum. However, Dulko took full advantage of the situation to take a 4-2 lead. Dulko then served out twice to clinch a battling victory 6-4, 1-6, 6-3.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2011.