Seventh-seeded Nikola Mektic and Franko Skugor from Croatia fended off one championship point to beat Robin Haase and Wesley Koohlof from the Netherlands 6-7 (3-7) 7-6 (7-3) 11-9 in the doubles final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.
Mektic and Skugor won 76 percent of their first serve points to win their maiden title as a team. Mektic and Skugor converted three of their 12 break points and saved one of the four chances they faced.
The Croatian players broke serve in the second game to open up a 3-0 lead. Haase and Koolhof won the next three games to draw level to 3-3.
Haase and Koolhof fended off three consecutive set points at 5-6 15-40 before sealing the tie-break of the opening set.
Mektic and Skugor earned an early break in the opening game of the second set, but Haase and Koolhof broke straight back in the next game.
Koolhof hit a forehand winner down the line to break for 5-3, but they were not able to serve out for the match. Mektic and Skugor broke straight back to draw level to 5-5 forcing the second set to the tie-break. Mektic and Skugor cruised through to a 6-0 lead in the tie-break to clinch the second-set 7-3 on their third set point.
Mektic and Skugor saved a match point at 8-9 before winning three consecutive points to claim the title 11-9 on their own first championship point.
Mektic has clinched his third doubles title in the past year after Madrid 2018 with Alexander Peja and Indian Wells with Horacio Zeballos in 2019. Skugor has won his second title in two consecutive weeks after his triumph alongside Austria’s Jurgen Melzer in Marrakesh.
