Bhupathi-Knowles in semifinals of Cincinnati Masters

Cincinnati (Ohio), Aug 22

India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of The Bahamas continued their winning run, entering the semi-finals of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 for the second successive time, with a 7-6(6), 6-3 victory over Frenchmen Michael Llodra and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

The fourth-seeded Indo-Bahamian pair, who last week won their first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, converted two of three break opportunities and saved four of their five break points to close the match in 83 minutes here Friday.

The win was the third-ranked doubles pair's sixth on the trot.

Bhupathi-Knowles next play Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, who defeated sixth-seeded Poles Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 7-6(6), 6-7(6), 10-4.

Defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan stayed on course to play their fourth final in a row, beating seventh seeded Wesley Moodie and Dick Norman 6-4, 7-6(11).

The Bryans next play Poland's Lukasz Kubot and Oliver Marach of Austria, who secured their place in the semi-finals by saving all three break points they faced to dismiss Spanish pair David Ferrer and Tommy Robredo 7-6(2), 6-1.

(IANS)