Mahut & Martin Cruise To Antwerp Doubles Title
Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Fabrice Martin clinched their first ATP Tour doubles title as a team on Sunday in resounding fashion with a 6-0, 6-1 win against Dutchmen Wesley Koolhof and Jean-Julien Rojer in the European Open final.
Mahut typically plays with Pierre-Hugues Herbert, and Martin competes alongside Jeremy Chardy. But they meshed well together in Belgium, earning the crown without losing a set.
“I was very happy that Nico offered me to play. He’s always been a model and someone to follow because his results are unbelievable. Since I’ve played doubles, he’s always been someone I’ve looked at,” Martin said. “Today to win with him is something really nice, because we got on really well on and off the court. I’m happy that I managed to play well as well next to him, so it was a very good week.”
The second seeds won 60 per cent of their return points and broke their opponents’ serves five times to lift the trophy in Antwerp after 54 minutes. Mahut was happy with the pair’s performance in their third tournament together.
“The week was amazing, like Fabrice said. We actually played the week before the US Open in Winston-Salem and I had a calf injury, so I had to pull out from the second round. But I said to Fabrice, ‘I’ll be ready for Antwerp’,” Mahut said. “We had an amazing week.”
Mahut has made 49 of 51 tour-level finals with Frenchmen, and this was his 34th title. Martin is now a seven-time ATP Tour titlist.
Koolhof and Rojer became full-time partners earlier this year, and the Dutchmen were trying to win their first title together. The third seeds had not lost a set en route to the final.