Bopanna-Babos cruise into Mixed Doubles Final in Melbourne

Indian tennis ace, Rohan Bopanna, and his Hungarian partner Timea Babos continued their scintillating form and swept aside the Brazilian-Spanish pair of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez and Marcelo Demoliner in an hour and twenty-five minutes with a 7-5 5-7 10-6 to make way into the finals of the Mixed Doubles in Melbourne. Bopanna and Babos, who earlier today won the women's doubles title with her partner Kristina Mladenovic, clinched the first set 7-5 in 34 minutes. Despite 10 unforced errors, Bopanna and Babos managed to bag the first set. Breaking the opponents twice and sending down 3 aces, the Indo-Hungarian pair took the first set and got the crucial one set lead to march ahead in the match. The second set saw Bopanna with a huge serve giving jitters to the Brazilian-Spanish pair of Martinez Sanchez and Demoliner. Also, Bopanna's quick reflexes at the net have been instrumental in keeping a lead even in the second set. But with an 81% of first serves, Martinez and Demoliner were successful in clinching the second set and forcing the match into a deciding tie-break. With three double faults and failing to convert a single break-point despite 4 chances, the Indo-Hungarian pair of Bopanna/ Babos lost the set. The third set began with Bopanna/Babos trailing at 1-2 but they managed to claw back to level at 2-2. Taking two consecutive points, the fifth-seeded pair grabbed a 4-2 lead and then it was almost a breezy affair as they managed to close it (10-6) to enter the finals. The fifth seed Bopanna and Babos will now face eighth seeded duo of Mate Pavic and Gabriela Dabrwoski for the title on Saturday. Although, Rohan Bopanna keeping Indian hopes alive on India's Republic day has a special ring to it, it is also a stunning achievement for Timea Babos, whose ticket to the final was as a double delight as she had earlier clinched the women's doubles title.