Doubles Take: Laver Cup, Tokyo & more
There was a team-up of legendary proportions, plus plenty of ATP
There was plenty of doubles action in Europe and Asia, and Doubles Take looks back at it all, plus previews this week.
THE DREAM TEAM
The inaugural Laver Cup, which pitted Team Europe against Team World, had must-see doubles action all weekend.
But if you had a ticket to the event or were watching it remotely, there was one thing you were really hoping to witness.
In a marquee matchup for the ages, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal teamed up in doubles, and squeaked past Sam Querrey and Jack Sock.
“Fedal” didn’t disappoint, captivating fans around the world with their play—even in some of the precarious moments.
Team Europe went on to win the Cup.
A RETURN TO THE WINNER’S CIRCLE
Tour veterans Andreja Klepac and Maria Jose Sanchez Martinez have played together all season, but didn’t make an impact on a draw until they shocked Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina at the US Open en route to the quarterfinals.
In their first tournament since then, they were finally able to be crowned champions, capturing the Toray Pan Pacific Open with a straight-sets win over Daria Gavrilova and Daria Kasatkina.
It’s the first title for either of them in more than a year.
A TALE OF THREE TEAMS & TWO FINALS (PLUS, A SEMI)
Unless you're the Bryan brothers, odds are you and your partner won't be a team forever, even if you've experienced some success.
Case in point 1: Artem Sitak and Nicholas Monroe, who started off the year reaching the semifinals at three of their first four tournaments and consistently won a round or two at the other events they played, including a final-16 showing at Wimbledon. But since the summer hard court season, the pair hasn't stepped on court together for a tournament.
Case in point 2: Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop, the Dutch duo who won three out of four finals between last year and 2017, including the Sydney title this year. After winning the Aix en Provence Challenger on clay in the spring, they suffered a six-match losing streak that carried through the rest of the clay-court season, and continued through the grass-court warmups and Wimbledon.
By the time the summer hard-court events came up, Sitak and Koolhof were a new team, and had near-immediate success, reaching the final in Atlanta in their second event together. Monroe reached the quarterfinals at the US Open with Australian John-Patrick Smith, while Middelkoop also had a successful run there with countryman Robin Haase.
This week, all four of the old teammates had memorable moments at the indoor events on the tour.
Middelkoop teamed up with Roman Jebavy to capture the St. Petersburg Open title over top seeds Julio Peralta and Horacio Zeballos.
Along the way to the title, Jebavy and Middelkoop defeated Monroe and Smith in the semifinals.
In Metz, France, Sitak and Koolhof finished as runners-up to the resurgent French duo of Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
All in all, it seems like everything's going to be OK for all the players.
SEOUL POWER
If Kiki Bertens and Johanna Larsson are teaming up, good things are bound to happen. The Dutch-Swedish duo won their second title of the year at the Korean Open, defeating Luksika Kumkhum and Peangtarn Pipuech in straight sets.
It’s the eighth overall title together for the pair.
ANOTHER DUTCH TREAT
Not to be outdone by her compatriots Bertens and Middelkoop, Demi Schuurs also captured a doubles title, winning the Guangzhou Open with Elise Mertens.
Playing their second final of the year together, Schuurs and Mertens topped Monique Adamczak and Storm Sanders, who had been on a tear as of late.
A LOOK AHEAD
The men make their way to Asia this week with two tournaments. At the Chengdu Open, the top seeds are Wimbledon finalists Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic. And at the Shenzhen Open, Nikola Mektic—who won two titles this year with Brian Baker—is partnering Nicholas Monroe to lead the field.
Perhaps the toughest draw this week is at the Wuhan Open on the WTA Tour. The top seeds are US Open champs Yung-Jan Chan and Martina Hingis, with Wimbledon victors Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina in the two spot. At the Tashkent Open, top seeds Timea Babos and Andrea Hlavackova will be going for their third tournament title of the year.
Follow Van on Twitter: @Van_Sias