For the most successful doubles team in history, an eight-month period without lifting a trophy is akin to an extended title drought. But Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan have the opportunity Saturday to snap that unwanted streak in the final of the Miami Open presented by Itau against Russian youngsters Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.

The Bryan brothers, who turn 40 next month, are going for their 37th Masters 1000 title as a team. Saturday marks their 56th ATP Masters 1000 final and third straight final after runner-up finishes at Acapulco (l. to Murray/Soares) and Indian Wells (l. to Isner/Sock).

They’ve won 114 tour-level championships but the Bryans are seeking their first title since lifting the BB&T Atlanta Open trophy in July 2017 (d. Wesley Koolhof and Artem Sitak). In the previous round, the brothers ousted Australian Open semi-finalists Ben McLachlan and Jan-Lennard Struff 7-5, 6-4. The twins have finished No. 1 in the ATP Doubles Team Rankings 10 times (2003, 2005-07, 2009-14).

The young Russians, meanwhile, are better known for their work in singles action. The 20-year-old Rublev opened his 2018 campaign with a runner-up finish in Doha (d. Monfils), while the 21-year-old Khachanov claimed the Marseille title last month (d. Pouille). Prior to this week, their best result as a team was a third-round finish at the 2017 US Open (l. to Roger-Vasselin/Benneteau). 

Make no mistake, however: The young Russians’ inexperience as a doubles duo hasn’t meant much this week in Miami. They saved a match point in the first round against Fabrice Martin and Franko Skugor, winning 6-7(3), 6-3, 15-13, then eliminated sixth seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares. From there, they disposed of No. 3 seeds and Australian Open champions Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic in the quarter-finals and then needed only 44 minutes to dismiss Americans Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey, 6-3, 6-1 to book their place in the final.

Watch the doubles final live on TennisTV.com, not before 3pm ET Sunday

The German wunderkind does it again.

Alexander Zverev reached his third ATP World Tour Masters 1000 final with a 7-6(4), 6-2 victory over Pablo Carreno Busta in the semi-finals of the Miami Open presented by Itau. The 20-year-old produced his finest tennis of the season to surge past his Spanish opponent in 1 hour, 28 minutes.

Zverev, who last season became the youngest player since Novak Djokovic to win multiple ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in one season after triumphs in Rome and Montreal, looked comfortable in the cool night conditions on Crandon Park’s Stadium court, striking 30 winners to 21 unforced errors. 

 Watch Full Match Replays

The German was dominant on serve, crushing 10 aces and winning a total of 78 per cent of service points in the match. Although Carreno Busta held his own on serve in the first set, he was unable to keep with Zverev’s relentless pressure on return and surrendered two breaks of serve in the match, both coming in the second set. 

The first set was tightly contested, with both players trying to wrestle control of points from their preferred positions on the baseline. While Carreno Busta grinded away from the back of the court, looking to control points with his forehand when the opportunity arose, Zverev ruthlessly attacked with his backhand, pushing the 26-year-old Spaniard back and opening the court for a barrage of winners.

The two contested a high-quality first set tie-break, with early momentum swinging Carreno Busta’s way, as he surged ahead 3/0 with an early mini-break. Zverev, however, raised his level to reclaim control, hitting a series of hot-shot backhands to eventually claim it in just under an hour. From there, it was smooth sailing for the World No. 5, who closed out victory with a service game to love, sealed with an ace.

“I tried to be more aggressive. I made some winners; made some backhand winners finally in the match and found my rhythm,” said Zverev, reflecting on the tie-break. “I think after that, I started to play really well, not only in the tie-break but also the second set.

After a slow start to 2018, Zverev appears to be rounding into form. The final in Miami Open is his first of the season and first since winning the Rogers Cup title in Montreal in 2017. The win will see him rise to at least No. 4 in the ATP Rankings next week; should he win the title, he’ll return to his career-high ranking of No. 3, achieved last November. 

“I’m happy where I am right now, and hopefully it will be another great match here and then I can go to the clay court season,” said the German.

Zverev will face American John Isner, who overcame Juan Martin del Potro in two sets earlier in the day, in the final.

Sunshine, sand and scenery. The Spanish resort town of Marbella has long been the playground of Europe’s rich and famous, boasting miles of pristine beaches and perfect weather.

This week, the beachfront mecca welcomes a new chapter of tennis on the ATP Challenger Tour. Situated along the Costa del Sol on the southern edge of Spain, Marbella hosts the inaugural Casino Admiral Trophy, a €43,000 event.

With the tranquility of the Mediterranean Sea just steps away, players have descended on the Club de Tenis Puente Romano for the second time. Six years ago, a Challenger was held in the same club and now it has returned with a new identity and an eye on the future.

As Spain’s longtime stalwarts continue to compete into their 30s, the proud European nation is looking towards the Next Generation of stars that will fly the flag in the years to come. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, junior Wimbledon champion in 2017, earned his first match win this year on the ATP Challenger Tour after being awarded a main draw wild card. The 18-year-old is hoping to gain experience on the circuit as he begins his ascent up the ATP Rankings.

“It’s great to play at home, with all my friends and family here,” Davidovich Fokina told ATPWorldTour.com. “It’s just great to have a wild card at a Challenger like this and a thrill to play here.

“The level here is very high and the players are very good. There are Top 100 guys here and no easy matches. You have to suffer on the court to win. It’s a tough event, but an important one for me.”

Davidovich Fokina, who hails from nearby Malaga, is projected to make his Top 400 debut after claiming a first-round upset of Norbert Gombos, before falling to Argentina’s Marco Trungelliti. He was competing in just his fourth tournament on the ATP Challenger Tour.

With fellow #NextGenATP Spaniards Nicola Kuhn, Jaume Munar and Carlos Taberner also surging ahead, the nation has much to look forward to. Munar qualified for his first Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January, while Taberner and Kuhn recently won their ATP World Tour debuts, in Montpellier and Miami, respectively.

Similar to Kuhn, who has a German father and Russian mother, Davidovich Fokina also owns a multi-cultural background, with a Swedish father and Russian mother. 

Another 18-year-old making strides in Marbella is Australia’s Alexei Popyrin. Also a junior Grand Slam champion in 2017, at Roland Garros, Popyrin is a native of Sydney but resides in Marbella. Having moved to Spain eight years ago, he relished the opportunity to compete in his adopted hometown. 

“I feel great playing at home,” said Popyrin. “I practise on these courts a lot. I have a lot of friends coming to watch me. Even friends who don’t even play tennis. There are even fans here that I don’t know. It’s a great feeling to have them on your side.

“The level at these Challengers is tough. It’s much stronger than the tournaments I’ve been playing recently, but I’ve started to get accustomed to it and raise my game. I hope to take the next step and get to the ATP World Tour level this year too.”

Popyrin also took full advantage of his wild card in advancing to the second round. Right behind Davidovich Fokina in the ATP Rankings, he moved up to a projected career-high just outside the Top 400. 

Top seed @Robertocarba93 and #NextGenATP @alexdavidovich1 sign autographs following their first round wins @casinoadmiralt. Two of three ?? to advance in Marbella. pic.twitter.com/hppVyZRN8e

— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) March 28, 2018

Popyrin, who upset both Federico Delbonis and Nicolas Mahut to qualify for his first ATP World Tour main draw in Sydney, is also enjoying a Challenger breakthrough in his first full year as a professional. He would reach his first quarter-final as a qualifier in Cherbourg, France last month.

“I am sure that in the next one or two years they will do great at the tournament,” said Tournament Director Ronnie Leitgeb. “Davidovich has very fast hands and hits the ball on the fast and deep with his forehand. And Popryin has a lot of potential to have a great serve, simply by his height. His footwork is not bad for such a tall guy either.”

Leitgeb has plenty of experience running a professional tournament at a high level, as the current owner of the ATP World Tour 250 event in Lyon and having organised the former Austrian tournament in St. Pölten and Pörtschach. It is also 20 years since he ran the successful Challenger in Graz, Austria.

“This a great place to play a Challenger,” added top seed Roberto Carballes Baena, who hails from nearby Granada and recently claimed his maiden ATP World Tour title in Quito. “All the Spaniards love to play at home as much as possible. For me, it’s very close to my home in Granada and it’s a pleasure to have my family come out for my matches.”

Spain also hosts ATP Challenger Tour events in Segovia and Sevilla, two of the longest-running tournaments on the circuit. And next week the expansion continues, as the country welcomes another new event in Alicante.

On Saturday, seventh seed Stefano Travaglia of Italy will face Argentina’s Guido Andreozzi for the title in Marbella. Travaglia is appearing in his second Challenger final, having won his maiden crown in Ostrava last year. Andreozzi will contest his 10th title match and second of the 2018 season. He prevailed on the clay of Punta del Este, Uruguay earlier this month.

It was a tremendous stretch for Juan Martin del Potro — the Argentine won his first ATP World Tour 500-level title since 2013 Basel in Acapulco before claiming his maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 trophy at Indian Wells. Four more victories in Miami brought his winning streak to 15 matches and a personal-best start to the season of 21-3, leading the ATP World Tour in wins. With two more triumphs, the ‘Tower of Tandil’ could have become the eighth player to win the ‘Sunshine Double’ by lifting the trophy in both Indian Wells and Miami.

So while Del Potro was disappointed that he lost in straight sets against American John Isner in Friday’s semi-finals at the Miami Open presented by Itau, he kept the defeat in perspective.

“I played well. I did a good tournament, and I go home with many things to celebrate,” Del Potro said. “John deserved to win today. He serves unbelievable. He plays great tennis on the tie-break. He was too good for me.”

It’s widely known that Del Potro has the ability to hit almost any player off the court, as he is armed with what is commonly considered one of the best shots in the sport: a hammer-like forehand. But on Friday, the 32-year-old Isner took the racquet out of the World No. 6’s hands with outlandish serving and free-swinging play from the baseline, intertwined with effective trips to the net with sweetly placed drop volleys.

Del Potro was unable to earn a break point against Isner, or even get to deuce. The American won 80 per cent of points on serve, claiming an astonishing 75 per cent of second-serve points against arguably the most in-form player in the world.

“He has a better serve than me, and then when he plays as good as today, he’s one of the tougher guys on Tour,” Del Potro. “Not many players can return his serves. He plays every time making winners. When he has a good day, he has everything to win a title like this. I think he was better for today.”

To be fair, Del Potro has played a lot of tennis in the past month — 16 matches and 38 sets, to be exact. But that was not going to stop him from pushing on to try to win his first trophy in Miami. His semi-final result was not for lack of effort.

“When I get onto the court I love to play tennis. I got too much love from the fans, and maybe that pain goes away during the match,” Del Potro said of the wear-and-tear on his body from all of his recent play. “But today John played better. I don’t have any skills for that. He was better than me, and he deserved to win.”

It’s easy to wonder what could have been — Del Potro would have risen to a career-high of No. 3 in the ATP Rankings if he would have won the title at Crandon Park. But keep in mind that three years ago after losing in the Miami first round, the Argentine left ranked No. 555. Two years ago, it was No. 338. And last year? World No. 35. He will stay at World No. 6 on Monday.

Numerous wrist surgeries kept Del Potro away from his best — or anywhere near it — for years. But the Argentine has announced loudly and clearly that he is once again a tremendous force to be reckoned with on the ATP World Tour.

“I will have a good vacation, maybe a week or more days. Depends how I feel,” Del Potro said. “But I would love to go home, to stay in Tandil eating barbecues, spend time with my family and friends and not talk about tennis for a couple of weeks.”

Del Potro doesn’t have to — his tennis has done that for him.