Middelkoop/Mies March On In Marseille

Matwe Middelkoop and Andreas Mies battled into the semi-finals at the Open 13 Provence on Thursday, edging Frenchmen Ugo Blanchet and Timo Legout, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5.

The third seeds are teaming for the first time this year at the ATP 250 event, after competing together in Stockholm last year. Mies’ full-time partner is Kevin Krawietz, with whom he has won two Roland Garros titles. Following their 75-minute victory in Marseille, the Dutch-German tandem will next play second seeds Ben McLachlan and Raven Klaasen.

Denys Molchanov and Andrey Rublev also moved through on Thursday, defeating Benjamin Bonzi and Albano Olivetti, 6-4, 5-7, 10-8, in 89 minutes.

Koolhof/Skupski Continue Momentum In Doha

Third seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski continued their strong start to the season on Thursday at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, defeating Andrey Golubev and Fabrice Martin, 6-4, 7-6(3) to advance into the final in Doha.

Koolhof and Skupski are now 16-2 on the season, having triumphed at the Melbourne Summer Set and Adelaide International 2 in January.

The Dutch-British team will play Rohan Bopanna and Denis Shapovalov in the championship match after the Indian-Canadian tandem downed Mackenzie McDonald and Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-4, 7-6(2), in 75 minutes.

Delray Seeds Downed In Match Tie-Breaks
There were upsets in each of the two doubles matches at the Delray Beach Open by VITACOST.com, with each coming by the slimmest of margins.

Americans Robert Galloway and Alex Lawson reached the semi-finals with a 6-3, 3-6, 11-9 win over second seeds Austin Krajicek and Hugo Nys. With a very similar scoreline, Hans Hach Verdugo and Marcos Giron eliminated second-seeded Aussies Luke Saville and John-Patrick Smith, 3-6, 6-3, 10-8.

Fognini/Bolelli Beat Rio Rain

In the lone doubles match to finish before the rain at the Rio Open presented by Claro, Italians Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini dismissed Spain’s Pablo Andujar and Pedro Martinez, 6-3, 6-1, to reach the semi-finals.

Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares led Benoit Paire and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, 6-3, 0-1, before rain suspended play. Top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos are still to play Carlos Alcaraz and Pablo Carreno Busta.