Cincinnati, Aug 21 (IANS) India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi of Belarus defeated Poles Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 6-3, 6-2 and advanced to the semi-finals of ATP Cincinnati Masters.
Bhupathi and Mirnyi beat the eighth-seeded pair in 62 minutes Friday, making it to their fourth semi-final at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament this year. The fourth seeds dropped nine points on serve as they improved to a 3-0 lifetime record against Fyrstenberg and Matkowsk.
In 2002, Bhupathi and Mirnyi finished as runners up to James Blake and Todd Martin here.
They will meet fifth seeds Austrians Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach who snapped a two-match losing streak against Cezch Republic’s Frantisek Cermak and Slovakia’s Michal Mertinak with a 6-4, 6-2 win in 75 minutes.
Second seeds and Rogers Cup champions Bob and Mike Bryan closed on their second consecutive ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title with a 7-5, 6-7(4) 10-4 win over sixth seeds Julian Knowle and Andy Ram. The holders of 16 Masters 1000 titles will now get the chance to avenge their Wimbledon quarter-final loss to the big-serving team of Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman, who toughed out a 6-4, 3-6, 12-10 win over Mardy Fish and Mark Knowles to reach the semi-finals.
