Bryans Debut In Stuttgart; Bopanna/Mahut Advance
Bryans Debut In Stuttgart; Bopanna/Mahut Advance
Americans looking for 13th title on grass
Top seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan started their grass-court season quickly on Wednesday at the MercedesCup in Stuttgart. The American twins needed just 42 minutes to beat Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan and Illya Marchenko of Ukraine 6-3, 6-1.
The Bryan brothers, who were finalists on Saturday at Roland Garros, have won 112 tour-level titles together, but none at Stuttgart, which switched from clay to grass last year. In fact, this week marks the first time the Bryans have played at an ATP World Tour event in the German city.
They’ll next face Aussie Sam Groth and Swede Robert Lindstedt in the quarter-finals.
Top Seeds Advance In ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Top seeds Rohan Bopanna/Nicolas Mahut defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Robin Haase 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the Ricoh Open. Mahut, who took over the No. 1 spot in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings on Monday, had defeated countryman Paul-Henri Mathieu in singles play earlier in the day. Bopanna/Mahut dropped only three points on their first serve, did not face a break point and advanced in just 50 minutes.
In the quarter-finals, the top seeds will face Gilles Muller/Frederik Nielsen, who saw off Marcelo Demoliner and Nicholas Monroe 6-3, 6-3. Muller/Nielsen fired eight aces and saved both break points faced.