Bhupathi-Bopanna knock out top seeds to make semis

Rome - The Indian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna knocked off top-seeded Max Mirnyi and Daniel Nestor 6-4, 7-5 in the Internazionali BNL d'Italia tennis meet to move into the semi-finals.

The pair from India won 79 per cent of their service points, and converted a break of serve in each set to wrap up their quarterfinal tie in 70 minutes Friday.

Bhupathi and Bopanna, coming off a semi-final showing at the Mutua Madrid Open last week, are aiming to win their second title of the season after triumphing at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

In the semi-finals, Bhupathi and Bopanna will play Marcel Granollers and Marc Lopez. The Spanish duo upset third seeds Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic 6-4, 6-2, capitalising on four of seven break point opportunities to advance in 72 minutes.

Lukasz Kubot and Janko Tipsarevic moved through to the final four, handing Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan their second straight quarter-final defeat at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event with a 6-4, 6-4 victory.

Kubot and Tipsarevic, teaming up for the second time this season, won 79 per cent of their first serve points to beat the two-time champions in 72 minutes. The Polish-Serbian tandem will look to reach their first final together when they take on fourth seeds Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau, who avenged their Madrid final defeat to Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski with a 6-2, 1-6, 12-10 win.