Are Roger-Vasselin & Melzer destined to win the ATP Finals?

Published November 21, 2020

Is it karma? Is it destiny? Is it purely living on the edge?

Whatever it is, Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Jurgen Melzer have enjoyed a remarkable run to the championship match of the Nitto ATP Finals in London, adding their latest storybook chapter on Saturday evening.

Here's what's gone down just over the past week for the Frenchman and Austrian: (All photos by Getty Images)

They were the final team to qualify for the season finale, and had competition on their heels until the very end. Melzer and Roger-Vasselin were forced to reach the final in Sofia just before the event, in order to fight off Jamie Murray and Neal Skupski. The Brits would end up claiming that crown when Melzer pulled out in advance with a shoulder issue.

PARIS, FRANCE - NOVEMBER 7: Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France and Jurgen Melzer of Austria react during their semifinal on day 6 of the Rolex Paris Masters, an ATP Masters 1000 tournament held behind closed doors at AccorHotels Arena formerly known as Paris Bercy on November 7, 2020 in Paris, France. (Photo by Jean Catuffe/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

The two lost their opener at The O2 Arena and then faced five match points in their second-round robin contest against John Peers and Michael Venus. Roger-Vasselin and Melzer would find a way to win, 12-10, in the deciding match tiebreaker.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 18: Edouard Roger-Vasselin (l) of France and Jurgen Melzer (r) of Austria during the doubles match against Michael Venus of New Zealand and John Peers of Australia during Day 4 of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 18, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

When the updated scenarios were revealed after Friday's first doubles match, Melzer and Roger-Vasselin learned they were required to defeat Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in straight sets in order to make it out of Group Bob Bryan, The Spaniard and Argentine led 5-3, but couldn't close it out.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 16: Jurgen Melzer of Austria and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France celebrate winning a point during their doubles match against Mate Pavic of Croatia and Bruno Soares of Brazil on day two of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 16, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

Then, a surprising stroke of fate arrived. Granollers pulled up with a right shoulder injury and after playing one point in the first set tiebreaker, decided he could no longer continue. With his retirement, Roger-Vasselin and Melzer received the straight-set victory they needed in accordance with the ATP Rulebook, and thus, ended the hopes of Mate Pavic and Bruno Soares.

Spain's Marcel Granollers (2nd L) has to retire hurt while playing with Spain's Horacio Zeballos (R) , giving the match to Austria's Jurgen Melzer (2nd R) and France's Edouard Roger-Vasselin (L) in their men's doubles round-robin match on day six of the ATP World Tour Finals tennis tournament at the O2 Arena in London on November 20, 2020. (Photo by Glyn KIRK / AFP) (Photo by GLYN KIRK/AFP via Getty Images) — © AFP via Getty Images

In Saturday's semifinals, the duo lost their opening set tiebreaker to Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury. Melzer and Roger-Vasselin fought back to force a winner-take-all set, only to fall behind 1-7. As they chipped away at the deficit, the two stared down match point at 8-9, before winning the final three points to battle back from the brink of defeat again.

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 21: Jurgen Melzer of Austria and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France celebrate winning match point in their doubles semi final match against Rajeev Ram of The United States of America and Joe Salisbury of Great Britain on day seven of the Nitto ATP World Tour Finals at The O2 Arena on November 21, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) — © Getty Images

With that outcome, Melzer and Roger-Vasselin denied Ram and Salisbury the year-end No. 1 team ranking, giving Pavic and Soares a consolation prize to celebrate (the Croatian and Brazilian are going their separate ways next season). Melzer and Roger-Vasselin will battle US Open finalists Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic for the trophy on Sunday.

"We had a great talk all together with our coach. I think it was after Vienna," Roger-Vasselin said in his virtual press conference Saturday.

"We said, 'okay, we need to be much more positive on the match', because sometimes if we are like a break down, we feel that we can be more positive to try to come back. This is I think the key of our success the last 10, 15 days. Just be positive. Even if something bad happened to us like a bad shot, bad call, whatever happens, be positive, try to win the next point and fight till the end."