DOHA: Indian mixed doubles duo of G Sathiyan and Manika Batra stormed into the WTT Contender semifinals with a 3-0 win over World No. 9 Spanish pair of Maria Xiao and Alvaro Robles here on Thursday.
Continuing their splendid run, the Indian duo took less than 24 minutes to wrap the proceedings 11-9 11-9 11-5 and set up a last-four clash against Lim Jonghoon and Shin Yubin, the world No. 20 duo from Korea.
The other half of the semifinal will take place between the Chinese pair of Kuai Man-Lin Shidong and Wong Chun Ting-Doo Hoi Kem of Hong Kong. Both the semis are slated later in the day.
Fresh from their tough 3-2 win over Tin-Tin Ho and Samuel Walker of England, the Indian pair got off to a slow start and trailed 2-5 and 3-6.
They gradually upped the ante and won six points in a row to take the lead with a 11-9 win in the first game.
It was a little close affair in the second game where the Indians took a 4-1 lead before winning by an identical 11-9 margin.
But they were back at their best in the third game where they won eight points on the trot to seal the issue.
Sathiyan and Manika had won a silver at the WTT Contender Nova Gorica in Slovenia last November.
