Mektic/Pavic Win Match Tie-Break In Montreal Doubles Opener

Two of the three seeded doubles teams in Wednesday action were eliminated in Montreal, but Croatia’s Mate Pavic and Nikola Mektic survived to stay alive at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

The fifth seeds saved six of seven break points against them, including three at 4-4 in the second set, to edge Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 3-6, 6-4, 10-7 at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers.

From 5/6 down in the decisive tie-break, the Croatians won five of the last six points to seal progress into the second round, where they will face Daniel Evans and John Peers. The Wimbledon finalists have claimed four titles together this season, most recently winning back-to-back British crowns at The Queen’s Club and Eastbourne. Their two-year tally stands at 13 following nine titles in 2021, including three at the Masters 1000 level.

Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara took out seventh seeds Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek 6-4, 6-2, while Santiago Gonzalez and Andres Molteni downed eighth seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 7-5, 6-1. The British-Finnish pair of Glasspool and Heliovaara is seeking its sixth final of 2022 and its second title of the year (Hamburg).

The Round of 16 will be set after the conclusion of Wednesday’s play, with top seeds Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram set to open their campaign on Thursday against Ariel Behar and Gonzalo Escobar. Behar/Escobar advanced past Pablo Carreno Busta and Marcelo Melo 6-2, 7-6(4) on Wednesday.