Paes-Dlouhy in French Open semis

Paris:

Defending champions Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy remained on course for a second successive French Open title by advancing to the semifinals of the men's double with a straight-set win on Wednesday.

The third-seeded Indo-Czech pair defeated eighth seeds Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski of Poland 6-1 6-3.

Paes and Dlouhy will now take on the winners of the match between Brazilian duo of Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares and 10th seeded Austrian-Israeli pair of Julian Knowle and Andy Ram.

In a match lasting barely an hour, Paes and Dlouhy blew away their rivals in the opening set.

The Indo-Czech pair converted all the three break points they earned to wrap up the opener in just 23 minutes.

The favourites wavered a bit in the second set, conceding five double faults but with a 100 per cent break-point conversion once again, Paes and Dlouhy sealed it in 35 minutes.