Australia Open

Israeli doubles specialist Andy Ram is in line to win the first Grant Slam of the year after reaching the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Ram, who won the men’s doubles title with Jonathan Erlich last year, partnered Natalie Dechy of France to beat No. 7 seeds, Anabel Medina Garrigues and Tommy Robredo 7-6, 6-4.

The pair reached last year’s semi-finals in Australia and await the winner of the other semi between Czech duo Iveta Benesova and Lukas Dlouhy and Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi of India on Friday.

If the Indian pair progresses, Ram could confide in compatriot Shahar Peer who has partnered Mirza in recent years in the women’s doubles.

Ram has already won two mixed double Grand Slam – Wimbledon with Vera Zvonareva in 2006 and the French Open with Dechy in 2007.