Leander, Sania book 2nd round berths

Country’s top doubles players, Leander Paes and Sania Mirza made it to the second round of the US Open with straight sets win in their respective events, here. Leander and his Spanish partner <g data-gr-id="13">Fernansdo</g> Verdasco got the better of Germans Florian Mayer and Frank Moder 6-2 6-3 in the opening round of the men’s doubles competition. It took Paes and Verdasco just 62 minutes to advance as they saved two break chances and converted all the three <g data-gr-id="14">breakpoints</g> they earned.

They next face American giant-killers Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey, who knocked out top-seeded compatriots Mike and Bob Bryan 7-(4) 5-7 6-3. In women’s doubles, the top-seeded Indo-Swiss pair of Sania and Martina Hingis dispatched the Americans Kaitlyn Christian and Sabrina Santamaria 6-1 6-2 in the first round. However, the hot favourites lost their service twice in the 56-minute contest in which they broke their rivals seven times.