Leander, Sania move up in doubles

India had a fruitful day at the Australian Open with both Sania Mirza and Leander Paes sailing through to the third round of the men’s and women’s doubles, respectively.

Sania teamed up with Spaniard Anabel Median Garrigues to score a facile 6-3, 6-4 victory over Russian Ekaterina Bychkova and Martina Muller of Germany.

It took the 10th seeded pair 83 minutes to seal passage to the third round, where they will meet the sixth seeded team of Slovakian Daniela Hantuchova and Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, who defeated Michaella Krajicek of The Netherlands and Agnes Szavay of Hungary 6-3, 6-2.

Later in the evening, Paes and his partner, Martin Damm of the Czech Republic, ran away easy 6-4, 6-2 victors over the Australian combination of Nathan Healy and Robert Smeets.

The Australians were no match for the seasoned number five seeds, who won the US Open title last year, and were knocked out in 68 minutes.

Paes and Damm were on song with their first serve, winning 33 out of 38 points when they got it in. They also converted three of the five break points.