India's [ Images ] Leander Paes [ Images ] found some consolation as he progressed into the mixed doubles second round after he and partner Martin Damm [ Images ] crashed out of the men's doubles at the Australian Open [ Images ] on Sunday.

Paes and Samantha Stosur [ Images ] of Australia [ Images ], seeded third, romped to a 6-2, 6-2 win over Yves Allegro of Switzerland [ Images ] and Elena Bovina of Russia [ Images ].

Earlier, fifth seeds Paes-Damm went down 5-7, 6-7 (7) to French pair Nicholas Mahut and Julien Benneteau [ Images ] in a third round contest.

The US Open [ Images ] champions had a set point at 7-6 in the second set tie-break, but the Frenchmen fought back to win the next three points and wrap the match in two hours and six minutes

Paes' former partner, Mahesh Bhupathi [ Images ] however scraped into the third round of the men's doubles.
Bhupathi and Czech partner Radek Stepanek defeated ninth seeds Lukas Dlouhy [ Images ] and Pavel Vizner of Czech Republic 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) to move into the third round.

The duo will take on seventh seeded Israeli pair of Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram [ Images ] next.