There was double delight for Zimbabwe's Cara Black on Wednesday when she reached the semi finals of both the doubles and the mixed doubles at the ongoing Australian Open.

With her partner Liezel Huber of the United States of America, the pair dismissed Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Francesca Achiavon  in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to sail through to the last four of the first Grand Slam of the year.

Black and Huber who are the top seeds as well as the defending champions took only one hour 30 minutes to coast to victory.

They will now meet the winner of the other quarter final between Maria Kirilenko of Russia and Agnisezka Radwanka of Poland who were scheduled to play Sally Peter and Laura Robson of German. The semi final showdown is on Thursday.

Black who is no longer active in the singles to give more time to the doubles and the mixed doubles is hoping to retain the title she won last year and a showdown in the final against the Williams sisters looks likely as the Venus and Serena were also scheduled to play a quarter final tie against Renar Stubbs and Lissa Raymond to decide the other semi finalsts.

In a tough days's schedule in which she had to juggle between the doubles and the mixed doubles, Black also reached the semi finals of the mixed doubles.

The Zimbabwean partnered Leandar Paes of India to beat Elena Vesnia of Russia and Andy Ram of Israel for another place in the last four. The semi finals of the mixed doubles will also be played on Thursday with the finals for both the mixed and the doubles pencilled for Saturday.