Sania-Bhupathi sail into French Open final

India’s Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi outplayed Galina Voskoboeva and Danielle Bracciali 6-4, 6-2 to reach the mixed doubles final at the French Open tennis tournament, due to be held yesterday. The seventh seeds beat the Kazakh-Italian pair of Voskoboeva and Bracciali in a battle that lasted just under 70 minutes. Sania-Bhupathi were due to take on Poland’s Klaudia Jans-Ignacik and Mexican Santiago Gonzalez, who beat the Indian Leander Paes and Russia’s Elena Vesnina 7-6 (2), 6-3 on Wednesday. Sania-Bhupathi got on the board breaking their opponents’ serve in the very first game of the match. But Bhupathi struggled with his serve early on as Voskoboeva-Bracciali immediately broke back for 1-1.The Indians lifted their level of play as the set progressed, with Bhupathi finding his rhythm. Mirza played solidly throughout the set, serving well and using her dangerous forehand for desired results. Bhupathi closed out the set with an ace. The first set lasted 39 minutes, with the Indians converting half of their six break points, while Voskoboeva and Bracciali cashed in on the two opportunities that came their way. Sania-Bhupathi showed their class in the second set as Voskoboeva-Bracciali ran out of steam. Bhupathi’s only mixed doubles title at Roland Garros came in 1997 when he partnered Japan’s Rika Hiraki. Mirza is yet to win here in the mixed doubles event. She reached the women’s doubles final in 2011 with Vesnina.from gulf news.