Defending Doubles Champs Survive In London

Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares were fully tested at the Fever-Tree Championships on Monday, saving seven of nine break points to oust Frenchmen Adrian Mannarino and Fabrice Martin 4-6, 7-6(3), 10-8.

The defending champions have won their opener at The Queen’s Club in each of their three appearances as a team. Three of their six victories at the event as a pair (6-1) have come in Match Tie-breaks. This year’s Acapulco titlists, who have lifted seven tour-level trophies together, next face Novak Djokovic/Stan Wawrinka or Tomas Berdych/Fernando Verdasco.

Murray, a home favourite, was not the only Brit to advance on the first day of action. Kyle Edmund and Neal Skupski earned their first-ever doubles victories at the tournament, beating Grigor Dimitrov and Ryan Harrison 3-6, 7-6(2), 10-3.

The Brits overcame a 0-3 deficit in the second set and saved one match point while serving at 5-6 before winning 18 of the match’s final 23 points.

Top seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic also had to battle through a Match Tie-break, defeating Spaniards Felciiano Lopez and Marc Lopez 6-4, 6-7(5), 10-7. Marach/Pavic, who have won four tour-level titles this year will play Rohan Bopanna and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who moved past Kevin Anderson and Julien Benneteau 6-3, 7-6(3).

Zverev Brothers Upset Third Seeds In Halle
Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev surprised No. 3 seeds Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer 6-7(7), 7-6(2), 10-8 at the Gerry Weber Open on Monday. The brothers brought a three-match losing streak as a pair to an end, advancing to face Raven Klaasen/Michael Venus or Tim Puetz/Jan-Lennard Struff.