Matkowski/Zimonjic London-Bound
As of Monday, just one spot remains open in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race to London, Marcin Matkowski and Nenad Zimonjic having booked a trip to the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals.
Matkowski/Zimonjic became the seventh team to qualify for the Nov. 15-22 event when Rohan Bopanna and Florin Mergea fell in the first round at the Swiss Indoors Basel. Despite the loss, Bopanna/Mergea are still in contention for the final doubles spot.
“We both started the year with different partners,” Zimonjic observed. “Indian Wells was our first tournament. It wasn’t an easy draw, but we managed to get to the semis. From then on, we’ve played pretty solid. We’ve had some good success. I think it’s an achievement to qualify for the [Barclays] ATP World Tour Finals after only starting in March.”
Zimonjic, 39, is a two-time Barclays ATP World Tour Finals titlist, having won the event with Canadian Daniel Nestor in 2008 and 2010. The Serbian was also runner-up with Leander Paes in 2005. He is still seeking his first title of 2015, but with Matkowski posted quarter-final showings at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open, in addition to reaching finals in Madrid, London and Cincinnati.
“It’s always amazing to qualify for the ATP World Tour Finals,” said Zimonjic. “This is the eighth time for me, with five different partners. It’s great for Marcin, too. It’s going to be his first time with somebody other than his longtime partner Mariusz Fyrstenberg. It’s really something that I look forward to every year. It’s a pleasure for the players to play there. I just hope that before the end of the year, we’ll get one trophy. It would be perfect to win the tournament in London.”
Matkowski/Fyrstenberg reached the title match at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in 2011, falling to Max Mirnyi/Daniel Nestor 7-5, 6-3.