Somdev out but Sania, Leander and Mahesh advance

New York, Sep 4 (PTI) A profligate Somdev Devvarman
squandered chances galore to crash out of US Open singles even
as Sania Mirza advanced in the women's doubles and mixed
doubles events here at Fushing Meadows.

Somdev, who was trailing by two sets, staged a dramatic
comeback by blanking 23rd seed German Philipp Kohlschreiber in
the third set but eventually lost his second round encounter
3-6 4-6 6-0 2-6 after a close to three-hour battle Thursday
night.

With Somdev's defeat, Indian challenge ended in the
singles events. Sania is already out of singles after
suffering one of the worst defeats of her career in the second
round against Italian friend Flavia Pennetta.

Somdev, who won three qualifying matches to make it to
the main draw, could convert only four of the 20 breakpoints
against experienced Kohlschreiber, who had defeated Novak
Djokovic in the French Open.

"Qualifying for the US Open was a great breakthrough for
me and then to win a match and take a set off Philipp and have
some chances against him will give me great confidence for the
future," he said after the match.

However in all other matches of the day, Indians came out
triumphant.

Sania and her Italian partner Francesca Schiavone, seeded
14th, survived a scare from unseeded Ekaterina Dzehalevich of
Belarus and Czech Renata Voracova before recording a 5-7 7-5
6-1 win to advance to the women's doubles second round.

Later Sania teaming up with Candian Daniel Nestor
outplayed Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan and Ashley Fisher
of Australia 6-3 6-1 in the first round of the mixed doubles.

Defending champions Leander Paes and Cara Black of
Zimbabwe overcame a fighting unseeded pair of Swiss Patty
Schnyder and South Africa's Wesley Moodie.

The second seeded Indo-Zimbawean pair tamed the unseeded
opponents 6-4 3-6 11-9 in the first round of mixed doubles.

Third seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles cruised to
the men's doubles second round after scoring a comfortable 6-3
6-4 win over American James Cerretani and Lovro Zovko of
Croatia. PTI AT
JVN