Calcutta: Leander Paes, teaming up with a new Czech partner, advanced to the semi-finals of the $380,000 Delray Beach meet.

According to information received here, Paes and Radek Stepanek, the second seeds, saw off Croatian Ivo Karlovic and Dane Kenneth Carsen 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) on Friday. The winners will face Americans Rick Leach and Brian Macphie. In Round I, Paes and Stepanek had beaten another US pair, James Blake and Jeff Morrison 6-2, 6-4.

The Indian, fresh from his US Open final appearance (with David Rikl), has moved up the individual doubles rankings to No. 14. He and Rikl are eighth in the team list, and need to push up to at least No. 7 to feature in the Masters.