Cuevas/Duran Win Thrilling Match Tie-Break For Kitzbühel Title

Pablo Cuevas and Guillermo Duran earned their first team title in dramatic fashion at the Generali Open, surviving a thrilling Match Tie-break for the Kitzbühel crown.

Fourth seeds Cuevas and Duran saved one match point to defeat Hans Podlipnik-Castillo and Andrei Vasilevski 6-4, 4-6, 12-10 in one hour and 26 minutes. It was the third victory in a Match Tie-break for the Uruguayan-Argentine duo this week.

“We’ve known each other for a long time but we never had the chance to play together,” said Cuevas. “It’s a pleasure to play with a friend and it feels even better if you end the tournament in this way. We are very happy.”

Podlipnik-Castillo and Vasilevski did well to handle the pressure of their first individual ATP World Tour finals, saving eight of nine break points faced. They would also battle back from 7/4 down in the decider and earned a championship point at 10/9, but the Chilean-Belarusian tandem were unable to convert.

Cuevas and Duran denied the opportunity and capitalised on the second match point of their own, claiming a thrilling exchange two points later. Cuevas pummeled a short-angled backhand return to set up the clincher, which Duran would seal with a beautifully dug volley off a Vasilevski smash.

“I think it was important to remain calm during the Match Tie-break,” said Duran. “We were 7/4 ahead and then we lost three points in a row, but still managed to win.”

Individually, it was 31-year-old Cuevas’ eighth tour-level doubles title and third of the year. He previously prevailed with Pablo Carreno Busta in Rio de Janeiro and with Rohan Bopanna at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

Duran sealed his fourth ATP World Tour doubles crown, all with different partners. It was his second victory of the year, having teamed with Andres Molteni to lift the Umag trophy last month.

Cuevas and Duran split €26,110 in prize money and 250 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points.