Pierre Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut cruised past 2018 Wimbledon and US Open champions Mike Bryan and Jack Sock 6-2 6-2 in just 52 minutes in the night session to qualify for the semifinals as first placer in the Group Knowles/Nestor. The Frenchmen needed a win a set to secure their spot in the semifinal.
Herbert and Mahut broke twice in the fourth and eight games to seal the first set 6-2. They got two more breaks in the fourth and eighth games to claim the second set by the same scoreline. The French Open champions converted four of the eight break points, saved both break points they faced and won 89 % of the first serve points. They avenged their recent defeat against the US pair in Paris Bercy.
Herbert and Mahut have secured the first spot in the Group Knowles and Nestor with a 2-1 record. They have qualified for the first time in four appearances at this tournament.
The French team set up a semifinal against Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah. In the other semifinal Bryan and Sock will take on Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares.
Lukasz Kubot from Poland and Marcelo Melo from Brazil beat doubles world number 1 pair and 2018 Australian Open champions Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 after 1 hour and 40 minutes to score the first win in the Group Knowles/Nestor at the Nitto ATP Finals. Kubot and Melo have kept their hopes of qualifying for the semifinal.
Kubot and Melo converted three of their five break points and fended off two of the four chances.
The Polish and Brazilian team have won four doubles this year in Sydney, Halle, Beijing and Shanghai and lost the US Open final to Mike Bryan and Jack Sock.
Melo got the first break in the first game of the opening set with a backhand return. Marach and Pavic broke back in the fourth game, when Kubot made a double fault. Melo sealed the tie-break on the second set point, when Pavic hit a return long.
Marach and Pavic broke serve in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead, but Kubot and Melo broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. In the tenth game Kubot hit a backhand down the middle, when Pavic was serving at 5-4 40-30. Kubot sealed the win, when Pavic netted a forehand volley.
