Huey, Klepac shock 3rd-seed Chan-Bopanna, move to semis

MANILA, Philippines – Fil-Am Treat Huey and Slovenian Andreja Klepac pulled through in a tight second-set duel and completed a 6-2, 7-5 upset of third seed Yung Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei and Rohan Bopanna of India yesterday to crash into the semifinal round of the mixed doubles of the Australian Open in Melbourne.

Huey’s semis feat thus became the best finish by a Filipino in a Grand Slam event since Beeyong Sison made it to the 1981 French Open quarterfinals.

Huey and Klepac gun for a final berth against American Coco Vandeweghe and Romanian Horia Tecau, who stunned No. 2 Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Bob Ryan, 6-3, 6-7 (5), 10-6, in the other quarters duel.

Huey’s recent win also made up for his heartbreaking quarterfinal exit in the men’s doubles after he and partner Max Mirnyi of Belarus fell to Canadian Daniel Nestor and Czech Radek Stapenek, 4-6, 4-6.

Huey, a veteran Davis Cupper, made it as far as the quarters of a Grand Slam twice, in the 2013 US Open and in this same event two years ago.