Paes in mixed doubles semis, but out of doubles

Leander Paes and Cara Black stormed into the mixed doubles semifinals but the Indian's quest for a third doubles trophy in a Grand Slam with Czech Lukas Dlouhy fell short as the pair lost in the quarter finals of the men's doubles at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

Leander Paes and Cara Black stormed into the mixed doubles semifinals but the Indian's quest for a third doubles trophy in a Grand Slam with Czech Lukas Dlouhy fell short as the pair lost in the quarter finals of the men's doubles at the Australian Open on Wednesday.

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The top-seeded Paes-Black pair swept aside eighth seeds Elena Vesnina of Russia and Israel's Andy Ram 6-4, 6-3. The Indo-Zimbabwean pair now play seventh seeds Lisa Raymond of the US and Wesley Moodie of South Africa.

However, third-seeded Paes and Dlouhy's run for a third Grand Slam title -- to add to 2009 Roland Garros and US Open trophies -- wasover with a 3-6, 4-6 loss to Croat Ivo Karlovic and Dusan Vemic of Serbia. The two had reached the semi-finals here last year.

The win was Karlovic and Vemic's third win over a seeded pair this fortnight.