However, the Americans upped their game to bag the second set 6-2, breaking the Indians twice. “We definitely played better than yesterday”.
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One more victory tonight, over USA star Venus and her Indian-origin partner Rajeev in the semis will ensure India asilver medal while a defeat would give Sania and Bopanna achance to fight for the bronze.
Murray and Watson played better as a team in the second set, but the Indians broke Murray in the fifth for a 3-2 lead. Eventually, team United States of America took the super tiebreak 10-3 to stay in with a gold medal chance, while Sania and Bopanna were left looking at the prospect of a bronze medal playoff tomorrow.
IN RIO After winning two tough matches when a player says there is room for improvement, you know what zone they are in.
Sania and Bopanna stumbled after Lalita revived India’s fortunes in the track and field event by becoming the first woman in more than three decades to enter the final of a track event when she shattered the national mark to reach the 3000m steeplechase medal round. It’s the first time in our tennis that we have another chance to take a shot at a medal.
Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna exchange hifi during their match of the Rio Olympic Games against S Stosur and J Peers of Australia at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil on Friday.
Usha, who runs a running academy now, was the first Indian woman to achieve the distinction when she made the final of the women’s 400m hurdles in 1984 at Los Angeles before missing the bronze by a fraction of a second. Bopanna’s game also crumbled under pressure in the match tie-breaker, as his strong serve deserted him and his ground strokes fell apart when it mattered most. She then served well to make it 3-1.
The 24-year-old Indian started off with some counter punches in a fast-paced round one in Pavilion 6 at Riocentro, and carried on the momentum throughout to emerge triumphant.
The second set went with the serve until the Americans forced a breakpoint off Sania’s serve – their first in the match – in the fourth game.
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After a 3-3 changeover score in the third set, the Americans took seven straight points to finish off the match and advance to the finals. Her heavy topspin ground strokes began to land in instead of spraying all over and the USA pair began to go for Mirza’s serve. Sania and Bopanna lost it in the tie-breakers as the score read 10-3 in favour of the U.S. pair. The Indians saved two break points but was ultimately broken to concede a 5-6 lead.
