US Open: Devvarman crashes out, Sania, Bhupathi advance

NEW YORK - India’s Somdev Devvarman lost to Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in the men’s second round of the US Open on Thursday.

The Indian top ranked singles player lost to his German opponent in four sets 6-3, 6-4, 0-6, 6-2.

In the men’s doubles the third seed Indo-Bahamian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles won their first round match in straight sets to advance to the second round.

Bhupathi and Knowles defeated James Cerretani of the USA and Lovro Zovko of Croatia easily in straight sets 6-3, 6-4.

Another Indian Leander Paes and his Zimbabwean Cara Black, seeded second, won their first round mixed doubles first round match Patty Schnyder of Switzerland and Wesley Moodie of South Africa.

Paes and Black won the match in three sets 6-4, 6-3, 11-9.

Meanwhile, Sania Mirza has also kept India’s hopes alive in the doubles and mixed doubles by winning both of her matches and advanced to the second round.

Sania bounced back from her 6-0, 6-0 drubbing at the hands of 10th seed Flavia Pennetta of Italy to win both her women’s doubles and mixed doubles matches Thursday.

Sania and Italy’s Fransesca Schiavone won a see-saw first round match against Ekaterina Dzehalevich of Belarus and Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic 5-7, 7-5, 6-1.

Sania - Schiavone duo will now meet Gisela Dulko and Shahar Peer in the second round of the US Open.

She and her veteran partner Daniel Nestor of Canada coasted through their first round match 6-3, 6-1 against Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan and Ashley Fisher of Australia at the Flushing Meadows.

In the mixed doubles event, Sania Mirza and Canada’s Daniel Nestor beat Akgul Amanmuradova and Ashley Fisher 6-3, 6-1 to enter the second round. (ANI)