Mahut/Herbert Open New York Title Defence

Defending US Open champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut finished strongly as they opened their 2016 Flushing Meadows campaign with a 7-6(8), 6-1 victory over Americans Mackenzie McDonald and Martin Redlicki on Wednesday in New York.

The top-seeded French duo won their first Grand Slam title 12 months ago at the US Open before winning their second major trophy at Wimbledon this year. They have already secured their place at the year-end Barclays ATP World Tour Finals this season after also winning three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells, Miami and Monte-Carlo, as well as lifting the trophy at The Queen’s Club.

However, another all-French duo did not fare so well. Eleventh seeds Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, whom Herbert and Mahut defeated in the Wimbledon final, were beaten in the first round by Brazilians Thomaz Bellucci and Marcelo Demoliner, 7-6(4), 6-3.