With both Serena and Venus Williams defeated in this year's Wimbledon action, Washington Kastle Leander Paes may be the only glimmer of hope in celebrating a local victory.
Paes is back together with Cara Black at Wimbledon this week, hoping to build on the pair's mixed doubles success the past two seasons.
Following a first-round bye, the No. 14 seeds defeated Rogier Wassen and Alicja Rosolska 6-1, 6-4 in the second round on Monday.
It was the ninth win in 10 matches for Paes and Black at the All England Club. The team captured the 2010 Wimbledon championship and fell in the final in 2009.
Starting with their title run at the 2008 US Open, Paes of India and Black of Zimbabwe played 10 consecutive Grand Slam mixed doubles events together, reaching five finals along the way. But Black did not compete at last month's French Open. That left Paes to play with Iveta Benesova, and the new duo lost in the quarterfinals to Nenad Zimonjic and Katarina Srebotnik.
For Paes and Black to reach a third consecutive Wimbledon final, they may have to go through Zimonjic and Srebotnik in the third round. The No. 3 seeds Zimonjic and Srebotnik play British wild cards Ross Hutchins and Heather Watson in the second round for the right to meet Paes and Black in the Round of 16.
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Venus and Serena Williams, each lost in the Round of 16 of women's singles on Monday. Rennae Stubbs of Washington and Marcelo Melo were one point from victory before falling to Hutchins and Watson in mixed doubles.
(source)
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