They began disastrously as Bhupathi dropped serve in the second game. After Ferreira served a love game, it was 0-3. From then on, the Indian pair played much better, though they couldn't get a break in the next four games and it was 2-5 soon. Then, with Leach serving for the set at 5-3, the Indians launched a timely attack.

Leach had to fight through a break point at 30-40 and then had a set point. However, the Indians hung in there, but wasted three more break chances before getting the break on the fifth attempt. Then Bhupathi held serve easily and it was 5-5.

Now it was Ferreira's turn to get broken as the world number 2 pair reeled off three points in a row. Then Paes held serve at love to climax a super run in the set which saw the Indianswinning five games in a row.

The second set saw the Indians surge ahead 2-1. Leach was taken to two deuces and a break point in the fifth game as well, but he held on grimly.

Thereon, Paes-Bhupathi simply went on build upon the 4-2 advantage to complete the set and match at 6-2.

The duel which lasted 75 minutes saw the Indians surge into their sixth Grand Slam semi-final out of seven contested. They have picked up 401 points already. GRAF RISES; RIOS TUMBLES: Steffi Graf scrambled past second seed Lindsay Davenport 6-1, 6-7, 6-3 today to reach the French Open semifinals while Martina Hingis and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario ended the dreams of two Austrian outsiders.

Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty scored a shock win over ninth-seeded Chilean Marcelo Rios to reach the men's singles semi-finals. Hrbaty won 7-6 (7-4), 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3. World number one Hingis ended qualifier Barbara Schwartz's run with a 6-2, 6-2 win on the same court in just 60 minutes while over on Centre Court defending championSanchez-Vicario took 90 minutes to advance 6-2, 6-4 over Sylvia Plischke.

In the semis, Hingis will likely face Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, the defending champion.

Yesterday, it was a day for two Brazilians to shine, especially Gustavo Kuerten, the 1997 champion.

Kuerten, reached the quarterfinals yesterday with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory czech Bohdan Ulihrach. Next, he will meet Andrei Medvedev, the much-improved Ukrainian who knocked out Pete Sampras in the second round and beat Frenchman Arnaud di Pasquale yesterday.

Joining them in the quarterfinals are Andre Agassi -- the surly Marcelo Rios from Chile -- another Brazilian, Fernando Meligeni, Spain's Alex Corretja, Uruguay's Marcelo Filippini and Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty.y