Bambridge/O’Mara Complete Dream Week In Eastbourne

Wild cards Jonny O’Mara and Luke Bambridge held their nerve to win an all-British final on Friday for their first ATP World Tour doubles title at the Nature Valley International. Three weeks on form beating Ken Skupski and Neal Skupski at the Surbiton Trophy, for their first ATP Challenger Tour trophy, Bambridge and O’Mara won again 7-5, 6-4 in 71 minutes.

“It’s been unbelievable,” said Bambridge. “We started playing together two months ago at a tournament in Mexico. We reached the final there, then continued the good form going into Surbiton. So we were feeling quietly confident going into the grass-court swing. To win eight matches in two tournaments is beyond what I ever dreamed of.”

Bambridge and O’Mara recovered from 2-5 down in the first set of the Eastbourne final, saving four set points from 0/40 at 3-5. They then broke in the seventh game of the second set. It was the first all-British tour-level doubles final since 2012, when Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins beat Jamie Delgado and Ken Skupski at Devonshire Park on the south coast of England.

Bambridge and O’Mara, who beat top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah in the quarter-finals, were competing in their first ATP World Tour tournament this week. The Skupskis drop to 11-5 on the year, which includes their first tour-level title at the Open Sud de France (d. McLachlan/Nys).

The victors earned 250 ATP Doubles Rankings points and share €35,830 in prize money, while the Skupskis head to London with 150 points and €18,830.

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