Rio Olympics 2016: Sania, Bopanna Seal Semifinal

RIO DE JANEIRO: Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna repressed Britain's Andy Murray and Heather Watson without breaking a sweat to breeze into the blended copies elimination rounds at the Rio Olympic Games here on Friday.

The fourth seeded Indian pair ruled the quarterfinal challenge, winning 6-4, 6-4 in only 67 minutes.

One more triumph will guarantee India a silver medal and a thrashing in the elimination rounds would allow Sania and Bopanna to battle for the bronze.

India has one and only tennis award in its whole Olympic history that came through Leander Paes, who won a singles bronze at 1996 Atlanta Games.

Murray came into the challenge in the wake of winning his singles quarterfinal that kept going over two hours and was a pale shadow of himself.

The world number two, victor of three Grand Slams and singles protecting Olympic champion, appeared rationing his vitality for the greater fight ahead. His substantial legs and smothered development on the court made the undertaking less demanding for the Indians.

Watson did not resemble a player who won the Wimbledon blended twofold title this year, battling severely with her serve and ground strokes in the opening set.

Sania and Bopanna were a superior group than the Britons, who never represented a risk to the Indians. Bopanna was strong with his blasting serve while Sania played brilliantly from the back of the court.

Bopanna started with a twofold blame and Sania's back to back volley blunders implied that Indians were first to flicker.

In any case, the Indians instantly recovered the break as Watosn dropped serve at adoration. A whirlwind of unforced blunders by the Briton set Indians pleasantly with three chances and Bopanna found a strike champ on the main break point.

Sania spared a breakpoint in the following and held to make it 2-2.

An anxious looking Watson battled with her serve and was again down 0-40. The Indians grabbed the favorable position. Murray neglected to put over a solid forehand come back from Sania, putting the Indians ahead 4-3.

Sania turned out serving strong in the following set as India drove 5-3. Bopanna served out the primary set without whine, hitting two pros.

The British players played better as a group in the second yet the Indians were up for the errand and softened Murray up the fifth for a 3-2 lead.

That lead stayed with the Indians and Bopanna fixed the issue on the third match point with an overhead crush.

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