Shahar/Yoni advance to mixed-doubles quarters

The Israeli duo continued their fruitful partnership with another impressive display, hustling for every ball and finishing clinically at the net.

By ALLON SINAI, JPOST CORRESPONDENT
Peer 311 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Peer 311
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Shahar Pe’er and Yoni Erlich have still yet to lose a set at this year’s mixed doubles tournament at Wimbledon after advancing to the quarterfinals on Thursday with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over Brits Jocelyn Rae and Colin Fleming.
The Israeli duo continued their fruitful partnership with another impressive display, hustling for every ball and finishing clinically at the net.
Pe’er and Erlich’s performances so far at the All England Club could be a promising sign ahead of next year’s London Olympics, with mixed doubles being added to the Olympic program for 2012 and the tournament to be played on the Wimbledon grass.
Meanwhile, Pe’er and Erlich will next face No. 4 seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Elena Vesnina, who beat Eric Butorac and Olga Govortsova 6-2, 7-6 (7) in the third round.
The Israelis took control at the start of their third round match, breaking in the third game and then again in the seventh before clinching the set on two straight Erlich aces.
The Brits raced into a 4-1 lead in the second set, but another Rae double fault gifted Pe’er and Erlich a break in the seventh game. The Israelis broke once more in the 11th game and sealed victory after saving five break points in the subsequent game.
Pe’er and Erlich are the last remaining Israelis at SW19 after Andy Ram and Meghann Shaughnessy were knocked out in the third round on Thursday following a 7-6 (4), 7-6 (3) defeat to Paul Hanley and Su-Wei Hsieh.