Paes-Damm book Q/F berth in Pacific Open

Indian Wells, California, Mar 15 (UNI) Leander Paes and his Czech partner Martin Damm overcame stubborn resistance from unseeded Polish pair Maroin Matkowski and Mariusz Fyrstenberg to advance into the Quarter-finals of the 3,285,000 million dollar Pacific Life Open here.

Although the fifth seeded Indo-Czech pair won in straight sets, their lower ranked opponents made them work hard but finally buckled under the experience of Paes and Damm to go down 6-3, 7-5.

The Paes-Damm pair began on a strong note winning the first set with very little fuss. However, the Polish pair came back strongly and almost took the second set all the way to the tiebreaker but eventually bowed out of the Tier I tournament.

The Indo-Czech pair will have to raise their game against the fourth seeded rivals Paul Hanley of Australia and Zimbabwaen Kevin Ullyett, whom they next meet.

The fourth seeded pair squeezed their way through against Roger Federer and Yves Allergo to triumph 3-6, 6-2 and set up a clash with Paes and Damm.

Earlier Mahesh Bhupathi, partnering Czech's Radek Stepanek had crashed out of the doubles first round, losing to French pair of Julien Benneteau and Richard Gasquet 6-4, 6-3.

Meanwhile, the deadly pair of Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi also progressed and meets English pair Tim Henman and Andy Murray.

Paes and Damm will meet the number one duo Bjorkman-Mirnyi if both the pairs win their respective encounters.

UNI