The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Good start for Paes-Damm

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 19, 2006

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Sport - Tennis

Good start for Paes-Damm

Bhupathi to partner Martina Hingis

Melbourne: Leander Paes and Martin Damm got their Australian Open off to a smooth start with a straight sets victory in the men's doubles first round here on Wednesday.

The Indo-Czech pair, seeded seventh, defeated home wild cards Peter Luczak and Shannon Nettle 6-3 6-2 in under an hour at the Melbourne Park.

Paes and Damm have a 2-2 win-loss record going into the year's first Grand Slam, having lost in the second round in both the Tour events they entered — the Chennai Open and the Medibank International Series in Sydney.

Paes could run into his former partner and compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi in the second round. Bhupathi is seeded 11th with South African Wesley Moodie.

Meanwhile, Bhupathi has struck another glamour combination to play the mixed doubles event here. Bhupathi will pair up with Martina Hingis who is on a comeback trail.

The former champion's return has not escaped the notice of Americans Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams.

Davenport played down suggestions that the increase in the power game in women's tennis will pose problems for Hingis.

"She (Hingis) always found a way around it before," Davenport said. "People have always said that about her. More than anything, the girl finds a way to win and finds a way to get her opponent uncomfortable. I'm sure she has a way to negate power still."

The third round could see a meeting between Hingis and Mary Pierce, another player back after a series of injuries.

Bhupathi and Hingis play Yeu-Tzuoo Wang of Chinese Taipei and Na Li of China in the first round.

New partner for Paes

Paes, on the other hand, will be missing his legendary partner Martina Navaratilova with whom he won the Australian Open crown in 2003.

He will be partnered this time by France's Nathalie Dechy and they take on top seeds Kevin Ullyett and Cara Black of Zimbabwe in the opening round.

Sania Mirza will team up with Stephen Huss of Australia and the pair faces a tough opening match against third seeds Bob Bryan of the United States and Vera Zvonareva of Russia. — Agencies

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