Somdev exits, Sania, Paes score

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 on 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 6-4, 3-6, 11-9 .

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