Peers/Venus, Kubot/Melo Set QF Battle In Hamburg

John Peers and Henri Kontinen won 13 tour-level titles together, including two Nitto ATP Finals triumphs. But on Wednesday, they were on the opposite side of the net at the Hamburg European Open.

Peers and Michael Venus defeated Kontinen and Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-4, advancing after one hour. The reigning Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships winners saved the two break points they faced and won 67 per cent of their second-serve return points.

They will face a tough test in the second round against Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo. The third seeds snapped a three-match losing streak by defeating German wild cards Yannick Hanfmann and Mats Moraing 7-6(6), 1-6, 10-5. 

All four players competing in that quarter-final — Kubot, Melo, Peers and Venus — have won at least one Grand Slam title. It will be the first clash between the two teams.

In the only other doubles match of the day, Frenchmen Nicolas Mahut and Fabrice Martin beat wild cards Frederik Nielsen and Tim Puetz 7-5, 7-5 after one hour and 26 minutes. Martin is fresh off a run to the Internazionali BNL d’Italia final alongside Jeremy Chardy.