Mektic/Pavic Win Third Straight Eastbourne Doubles Title

Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic completed a hat-trick of titles at the Rothesay International on Friday by stopping the 13-match winning streak of Roland Garros champions Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek.

The Croatians claimed their third ATP Tour title of 2023 with a 6-4, 6-2 final victory in Eastbourne. The champions saved all three break points they faced in the trophy match and converted on three of their four chances on return.

Seeded fourth at the ATP 250, Mektic/Pavic did not lose a set on the week and were pushed as far as a tie-break just once, in the opening round against Jamie Murray and Michael Venus.

The title is their third of the 2023 season (Auckland, Stuttgart) and their sixth on grass — a haul that includes their 2021 Wimbledon title in their first year as a team. Since pairing up at the start of 2021, they have won 17 tour-level titles including four ATP Masters 1000 crowns.

Mektic/Pavic moved up two places to 18th this week in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, while their opponents remain atop the calendar-year points race for a place at the Nitto ATP Finals.

Dodig/Krajicek saw their winning streak stopped after consecutive trophy runs at Roland Garros and The Queen’s Club. Krajicek, who debuted at No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings after Roland Garros, briefly ceded the top spot but reclaimed the honour entering this week and now remains No. 1 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Live Rankings.