Fritz/Rune Upset Mektic/Pavic To Continue Monte-Carlo Run

After squaring off on the singles court two weeks ago in Miami, Taylor Fritz and Holger Rune are thriving as first-time partners this week at the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The American-Danish duo defeated fourth seeds Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic 6-3, 6-4 on Tuesday in Monaco to advance to the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event, backing up their opening win against Italians Simone Bolelli and Lorenzo Musetti on Monday.

Fritz and Rune were dominant on first serve against the Wimbledon finalists from Croatia, winning 87 per cent of points behind their first delivery and saving three of five break points against them. They converted on four of their seven break chances on return to maintain their perfect record as a team, without a set lost in their two matches.

All four Tuesday doubles matches were decided in straight sets in the Principality, with the French-German team of Fabrice Martin and Andreas Mies also advancing to the quarter-finals with a 6-4, 6-4 win against Diego Schwartzman and Jannik Sinner.

In opening-round action, sixth seeds Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara avoided the fate of fellow favourites Mektic/Pavic with a 6-3, 6-4 win against Nicolas Mahut and Stan Wawrinka, and Argentines Andres Molteni and Maximo Gonzalez beat Maxime Cressy and Matwe Middelkoop 6-3, 7-6(2).