Kubot/Melo Set To Return To Nitto ATP Finals

Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo have become the fourth doubles team to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals, to be held at The O2 in London from 11-18 November. The Polish-Brazilian team secured their place as a result of advancing on Saturday to the Rolex Shanghai Masters final, which represented their sixth ATP World Tour Masters 1000 title match (3-2 record).

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Kubot and Melo have captured three ATP World Tour titles in 2018 on the hard courts of the Sydney International (d. Struff/Troicki) and the China Open in Beijing (d. Marach/Pavic), plus the Gerry Weber Open grass-court crown in Halle (d. Zverev/Zverev). Last month, the duo also finished runner-up at the US Open (l. to M. Bryan/Sock).

Melo has now qualified for the prestigious season finale for the sixth straight year (since 2013). Three years ago, the Brazilian advanced to the final in London with Ivan Dodig (l. to Bryans). Kubot has competed at The O2 in London in 2009-10, 2014 and 2017, when, together with Melo, they finished as the year-end No. 1 team and advanced to the championship match (l. to Kontinen/Peers).

Kubot, currently World No. 5, became No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Rankings for the first time on 8 January 2018 and has spent a total of 19 weeks at the summit of men’s professional tennis. Melo has also led the team game, on a total of four occasions for 56 weeks overall.