Cressy/Lopez, Mektic/Pavic Reach Roland Garros 3rd Round

Paris-born American Maxime Cressy has picked up his first two tour-level doubles wins this week at Roland Garros alongside Spanish veteran Felciano Lopez, who eclipsed the 250-wins mark in doubles earlier this season. 

The first-time pairing improved to 2-0 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 15th seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Marcelo Melo on Thursday in Paris. The American-Spanish duo dominated late in both sets, winning the final four games of the opener and the last two games of set two. On both occasions, they sealed the set with a break of serve.

Cressy/Lopez won 78 per cent (28/36) of their first-serve points and saved one of two break points against them in the match, holding in nine of their 10 service games, including their last eight. They await the winner of Friday’s second round matchup that pits top seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury against Miomir Kecmanovic and Nicholas Monroe.

Also advancing to the last 16 on Thursday were second-seeded Croatians Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic, 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-2 winners against Robin Haase and Raven Klaasen. After back-to-back defeats in Munich and Madrid, last year’s No. 1 team has won 11 consecutive matches, including title runs in Rome and Geneva.

Sixth seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski were more clinical in a 6-3, 6-2 win over Hunter Reese and Ramkumar Ramanathan.