Indian pair Rohan Bopanna and Ramkumar Ramanathan continued their perfect start to the season on home soil Thursday, edging Alexander Erler and Jiri Vesely 7-6(3), 7-6(4) to reach the semi-finals at the Tata Open Maharashtra.
The second seeds hammered 17 aces and saved all three break points they faced, advancing after 87 minutes to improve to 7-0 on the season as a team.
Bopanna and Ramanathan triumphed together at the Adelaide International 1 in January and are now two wins away from capturing their second tour-level title this year.
They will next face Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul after the Frenchmen battled back to defeat Italians Federico Gaio and Lorenzo Musetti 3-6, 6-3, 10-2 in 77 minutes. Doumbia and Reboul are aiming to win their first tour-level title as a team in Pune, having lifted nine ATP Challenger Tour trophies together.
Top seeds Luke Saville and John-Patrick Smith survived a scare to move through, overcoming Indians Mukund Sasikumar and Saketh Myneni 3-6, 7-5, 10-3. The Australians will play N.Sriram Balaji and Vishnu Vardhan in the semi-finals. The Indians received a walkover from Gianluca Mager and Emil Ruusuvuori.
Ymer Stuns Karatsev In Pune
Erlich/Roger-Vasselin March On In Montpellier
Third seeds Jonathan Erlich and Edouard Roger-Vasselin booked their spot in the semi-finals at the Open Sud de France with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over French duo Fabrice Martin and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Erlich and Roger-Vasselin are teaming for the first time this week and are yet to drop a set in Montpellier. They saved both break points they faced to advance in 65 minutes.
Jonny O’Mara and Hunter Reese also advanced in Montpellier, clawing past Roman Jebavy and Alex Molcan 6-1, 4-6, 10-5. The British-American duo converted five of their six break points in their 74-minute win. They will meet Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara in the last four.