The world number two Indian pair, who have made it to their third straight Grand Slam semifinal by repeating their show at last year's US Open and Australian Open in January have bright hopes of pulling off a title win as the top Aussie duo of Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge crashed out early.

But Paes and Bhupathi, who became the first Indian Grand Slam winner when he partnered Japan's diminutive Rika Haraki to claim the mixed doubles last year, will have to stave off the challenge of the in-form Knowles and Nestor.

But the third seeded Indian campaigners, fresh from their Italian Open success last month, hold the psychological edge of having beaten them in their previous meeting.

The other semifinal pits top seeded Dutch pair ofJacco Eltingh and Paul Haarhuis and Australia's Patrick Rafter and Swede Jonas Bjorkman, the sixth seeds.

Paes-Bhupathi, runners-up in the Hartford World Doubles Championship last year, stormed into the last four on Monday with a clinical 6-3 6-4 demolition of Spain's Julian Alonso and Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador.

Knowles and Nestor, who upset The Woodies in the third round, beat 10th seeded US-New Zealand pair Patrick Galbraith and Brett Stevens 6-3 6-4.

The Indians are also in quest for the top ranking. Till now, they have picked 450 ATP points here which should take them above The Woodies in next week's ATP rankings.

CORRETJA TAMES DEWULF: Alex Corretja blitzed Belgian Filip Dewulf 7-5 6-4 6-3 at the French Tennis Open today to become the third Spaniard to reach the men's singles semifinals.

The 14th seed's victory over the 1997 semifinalist underlined Spanish men's superiority on slow clay courts. Felix Mantilla and Carlos Moya made the last four yesterday.

Moya shocked favouriteMarcello Rios of Chile 6-1, 2-6, 6-2, 6-2. Corretja, 24, will meet the French hopeful Cedric Pioline, who upstaged Morocco's Hicham Arazi in a marathon five-setter 3-6 6-2 7-6 (8-6) 4-6 6-3.

An overcast and blustery Roland Garros was the perfect scene for Corretja to avenge his loss to Dewulf in the last 16 a year ago.

On that day, Dewulf won in four sets. This time around Corretja clinically disposed of the Belgian threat to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final. It wasn't all plain sailing for "The Catalan Baseliner" as Dewulf got off to the better start.

The 26-year-old from Leopoldsburg broke Corretja early and moved into a 5-3 lead in the opening set -- having lost just four points in four service games.

Dewulf was broken for 5-5 and then two games later a whipped cross-court backhand passing shot gave the first set to the Spaniard.

Corretja never allowed his 39th-ranked opponent back into the match.

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