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Paes, Bhupathi advance in Challenger

Top-seeded Leander Paes and unseeded Mahesh Bhupathi moved into the quarterfinals of the $25,000 Servo-Indian Oil ATP Challenger tennis tournament.

Also advancing to the last eight stage was third-seeded Gaston Ellis of Argentina, who overcame a one set deficit to beat American Jonathan Stark 0-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Paes ousted Czech Ota Fukarek 6-3, 6-7 (4-7) 6-1, while Bhupathi got a walkover from German Andre Fahlke, who bowed out with a touch of diarrhoea.

Paes completely dominated the Czech in the first set, hitting service winners for which Fukarek did not seem to have any answers. Paes broke Fukarek, who is ranked 271 in the world, in the second and the sixth game to lead 5-2.

Though the Czech managed to break Paes in the seventh game, the latter charged on to take the set 6-3.

But the second set, which the Czech took at a tie-break, saw Paes struggling with his serve and the Czech picking up his game.

Paes himself admitted, ''I struggled with my serve in the second set.''

The pressure was on him, he said, ''particularly in the tie-break. But basically I am trying to get used to the surface and the balls here after coming from Chennai,'' he remarked.

The final set saw Paes rediscover his rhythm, taking control of his serve and hitting some great shots to break his opponent in the second and the sixth games, taking the set 6-1 and with it, the match.

Paes said after the match, ''Physically, I feel good. But as far as tennis went, I struggled today. However, I feel this tournament is an excellent opportunity for me to pick up valuable ATP points and help my ranking which has slumped to 108. I want to avail the maximum of this.''

Others who proceeded to the last eight stage were Sweden's Andreas Vinciguerra who fought a three setter against Eyal Ran of Israel, winning 6-0, 1-6, 6-3 after a one hour, 46 minutes encounter.

Gregory Carraz of France also proceeded to the quarters getting a walkover from Australian Matthew Breen who could not due to health problems.

UNI