The pair beat Liezel Huber of USA and Jamie Murray of UK 6-7, 7-6, 10-5 in the semi-finals.
The all-Indian pair of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna had to toil for victory, but Leander Paes and his Czech partner Radek Stepanek sailed into the second round of the Australian Open men's doubles in Melbourne on Wednesday.
'I don't think you can fault us for not trying. We kept giving our best shot because we know how special a relationship it is for not just us but the country as well'
India's Leander Paes and Brazil's Andre Sa crashed out in the men's doubles event of the Australian Open after losing 6-4, 6-7, 4-6 to Max Mirnyi and Treat Huey in the first round on Thursday.
Sania Mirza set herself up for her first-ever women's doubles Grand Slam title, while seasoned pro Leander Paes is now one win away from his 16th Major trophy as the two Indians reached the Wimbledon finals with their respective partners.
Leander Paes, who became the oldest man to clinch a Grand Slam title in the Open era after winning the men's doubles crown with Radek Setpanek at the just-concluded US Open, says it is because of his former mixed doubles partner Martina Navratilova that he has been able to prolong his career.
