Sania advances in women, mixed events

 London: Capping off a great day for India, Sania Mirza advanced to the third round of both the women’s and mixed doubles events, while Rohan Bopanna and Purav Raja also won their respective mixed doubles matches at the Wimbledon here.

Mirza and Croatia’s Ivan Dodig, who are seeded fourth, needed an hour and 18 minutes to see off the Japanese duo of Yusuke Watanuki and Makoto Ninomiya 7-6 (5), 6-2 to enter the mixed doubles third round.

The Indo-Croatian duo finished its second round match with six aces and four double faults. They next face the defending champions Henri Kontinen and Heather Watson for a spot in the quarterfinals.

In the women’s doubles event, Sania and her Belgian partner Kirsten Flipkens beat the British pair of Naomi Broady and Heather Watson in a hard-fought encounter to enter the third round.

Mirza and Flipkens scripted a 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 victory in one hour and 45 minutes.The 13th seeded pair will next take on third seeds Martina Hingis of Switzerland and Yung-Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei for a place in the quarterfinals.

Partnering Japan’s Eri Hozumi, Raja carved out a win in his first round mixed doubles match over the American-Czech pair of James Cerretani and Renata Voracava 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

They will next lock horns with 11th seeds Daniel Nestor and Andreja Klepac.A month after winning the French Open, Rohan Bopanna and Gabriela Dabrowski continued their winning run in mixed doubles.

The 10th seeded Indo-Canadian duo eked out a 7-6(2), 7-5 victory over the French-Romanian combine of Fabrice Martin and Raluca Olaru for a place in the third round.