Australian Open: Paes, Bopanna keep Indian challenge alive

Keeping India’s campaign in the Australian Open alive veteran Leander Paes reached the second round with partner Jelena Ostapenko while Rohan Bopanna progressed to the quarter-finals with his Ukranian partner Nadiia Kichenok in the mixed doubles category.

Paes and Ostapenko, the 2017 French Open champion, erased a one-set deficit to edge out local wild cards entrants Storm Sanders and Marc Polmans 6-7(4), 6-3, 10-6 in the opening round which lasted one hour and 27 minutes.

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Paes is competing in his last Australian Open, having announced that 2020 is his final year on the Pro circuit.

They will next face American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Briton Jamie Murray, who knocked out top seeds Marcelo Melo and Barbora Strycova 3-6, 6-4, 10-7 in their opening round.

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Bopanna and Kichenok defeated the team of Nicole Melichar and Bruno Soares 6-4, 7-6(4) in their second round.

Bopanna was supposed to pair up with compatriot Sania Mirza but the latter pulled out due to a calf injury.

(With inputs from agencies)