Dubai, Mar 2: Mahesh Bhuapthi and Rohan Bopanna, who need to improve their rankings to earn a direct entry into the London Olympics, stormed into the summit clash of the ATP Dubai Open with a straight set win, here today.
Fourth seeded Indian pair of Bhupathi and Bopanna edged past the giant killing Austrian pair of Julian Knowle and Alexanderin Peya 7-6 (2) 7-6 (7) in the semi-finals of the $ 1,700,475 hard court event.
Knowle and Peya had shocked top seeded pair of Michael Llodra and Nenad Zimonjic in the quarter-finals.
Either Bopanna, ranked 11th or Bhupathi (15) need to be in top-10 in the ATP doubles ranking to have a direct entry in the Olympics competition.
A top-10 player has the liberty to choose his partner, irrespective of his ranking.
The unseeded pair of Leander Paes and Tipsarevic has already exited from the tournament after a 4-6 5-7 defeat in the first round against second seeds Robert Lindstedt and Horia Teacu.
