Bopanna, Bhupathi to clash in Dubai ATP semis

Rohan Bopanna and Mahesh Bhupathi set up a semi-final clash against each other in the Dubai Tennis Championships after winning their respective quarter-finals on Thursday.

Unseeded Bopanna and Rajeev Ram hit seven aces and converted one of seven break-point opportunities to beat Victor Hanescu and Lukas Rosol 4-6, 7-5, 10-4 in 79 minutes.

Later in the day, Bhupathi and Llodra also came from behind to oust the fourth seeded pair of Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski, winning 4-6, 6-4, 10-8.

The first set was on serve till Bhupathi-Llodra were broken in the 10th game while serving to stay in the match.

However, they came back strong and broke in the third game of the second set and took a 3-1 lead.

The break stayed with them and Bhupathi served out the set in the 10th game to take the match into a super tie-breaker.

In the match tie-breaker also they rallied from 0-2 down before finally converting their third match point to clinch the issue.

The result means that at least one Indian will compete in the summit clash.

Somdev Devvarman had bowed out of the singles after losing to world No 7 Argentine Jual Martin del Potro.

Earlier, Bhupathi and Llodra advanced to the quarter-finals with a straight sets victory over the Serbian pair of Janko Tipsarevic and Viktor Troicki.

The unseeded Indo-French team won the opening round match in the US $1,785,500 hard court event 6-3, 6-3.

Bopanna and his American partner Ram had shocked second seeds Jean-Julien Roger and Aisam-ul Haq Qureshi in the first round.