Sania, Paes and Bhupathi advance

Sania Mirza advanced in the women's doubles and mixed doubles events on Thursday at Fushing Meadows.

Sania is already out of singles after suffering one of the worst defeats of her career in the second round against Italian friend Flavia Pennetta.

However in the doubles event, Sania and her Italian partner Francesca Schiavone, seeded 14th, survived a scare from unseeded Ekaterina Dzehalevich of Belarus and Czech Renata Voracova before recording a 5-7, 7-5, 6-1 win to advance to the women's doubles second round.

Later Sania teaming up with Candian Daniel Nestor outplayed Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan and Ashley Fisher of Australia 6-3, 6-1 in the first round of the mixed doubles.

Defending champions Leander Paes and Cara Black of Zimbabwe overcame a fighting unseeded pair of Swiss Patty Schnyder and South Africa's Wesley Moodie. The second seeded Indo-Zimbawean pair tamed the unseeded opponents 6-4, 3-6, 11-9 in the first round of mixed doubles.

Third seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles cruised to the men's doubles second round after scoring a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over American James Cerretani and Lovro Zovko of Croatia.