Tennis-Open-Paes sets sights on double repeat

By Pritha Sarkar

NEW YORK, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Almost a decade after capturing two doubles titles at Wimbledon in 1999, India's Leander Paes remained on target to replicate the feat at the U.S. Open on Wednesday.

Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy sprinted into the men's doubles final by pulverising Argentine duo Maximo Gonzalez and Juan Monaco 6-2 6-0.

The success came less than 24 hours after he also reached the mixed doubles showpiece with Zimbabwean Cara Black.

"When you finish the semi-finals of a grand slam in 46 minutes, you'll always be pleased. It's one of the fastest matches I have ever played," Paes told reporters.

"It's exactly what the doctor ordered because they packed the schedule in and made me play twice yesterday and made me come back in early today. So good to get a quick match in."

After crisscrossing the world a few times over since turning professional in 1991, it is little wonder Paes has lost count of the number of partners he has had over the years.

But the one thing he is grateful for is that his 35-year-old body is still holding up and allowing him to challenge for the big titles.

"For me being in this position of being in the final of both the men's doubles and the mixed, I've done that before when I was much younger... and at 35 it's great to be in that same position when I'm playing for two titles," he said.