One Indian is sure to lay hands on the US Open mens doubles trophy as Davis Cup team mates Mahesh Bhuapthi and Leander Paes would clash against each other in the summit clash along with their respective partners. After Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy upset top seeds Bob and Mike Bryan in their semi-final,Bhupathi and his Bahamian partner Mark Knowles,seeded third,eased into the final with a 6-4 6-2 win over fifth seeds Max Mirnyi of Belarus and Andy Ram of Israel. In the junior tournament,Yuki Bhambri stormed into the boys singles quarter-finals with a 6-4 6-3 win over Jack Sock in the third round. The top seed will next play Chase Buchanan of USA,who beat Marton Fucsovics of Hungary 6-2 6-3. Federer marches on Roger Federer ousted 12th-seeded Robin Soderling on Wednesday night in a surprisingly nerve-racking quarter-final to reach his 22nd consecutive semi-final at a major tournament,which more than doubles the previous mark of 10 set by Ivan Lendl. Awards are not handed out for quarter-final victories,but Federer,who outlasted Soderling,6-0 6-3 6-7 (6) 7-6 (6),deserves one for lifetime achievement in the quarter-finals,especially for this challenging victory. Its probably one of the greatest records, a relieved Federer said on court,for me,anyway,in my personal career. The streak indicates a staggering level of consistency and success,made even more impressive by the fact that he went 18-3 in the previous 21 semi-finals,and followed 15 of those with major championships,also a record for the mens game. The last time Federer didnt make it to a semi-final at a Grand Slam was the 2004 French Open when,as the No 1 seed,he was upset by Gustavo Kuerten in the third round. Melanie Oudin,whose team sported T-shorts with her mantra,Believe,written on them in bright yellow,had her run come to an end by powerful Danish opponent Caroline Wozniacki. Wozniacki turned out to have plenty of belief of her own,and she was the more composed,winning 6-2 6-2. The ninth-seeded Wozniacki will face another surprising,unseeded youngster in the semi-finals: Belgian 19-year-old Yanina Wickmayer,who beat Ukraines Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5 6-4.
