Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury beat Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 6-4 3-6 10-7 after 1 hour and 38 minutes in the doubles final of the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters to secure their second Masters 1000 title after lifting the Canadian Open trophy last August.
Salisbury claimed a second ATP Masters 1000 title with Ram crowning a dream week. He reached world number 1 spot in the ATP Ranking for the first time last Monday.
In the first set Ram and Salisbury fended off two consecutive break points in the first game of the opening set.
Ram and Salisbury got the first break of the match in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead. Cabal and Farah earned their first break point but they were not able to convert it. Ram and Salisbury served out for the first set in the 10th game.
Cabal and Farah fought back in the second set and earned their first break of the match in the eighth game with a deciding point to take a 5-3 lead and served out for the second set to force the match to the tie-break.
Cabal and Farah won consecutive points to claw their way to 5-6 in the match tie-break, but Ram and Salisbury won the final three points to take a 9-5 lead. The US and British team did not convert their first two match points but they sealed the title on their third opportunity, when Salisbury hit a forehand winner down the middle. Ram and Salisbury improved their record in tour-level finals to 6 wins to 8 defeats.
“It’s unbelievable. I am so happy right now. It’s a first title on clay together, on a surface that we always thought was a weaker one for us. We have not done too well here before, but we have been working really hard, and we knew we can play well. I am just so happy that it’s come together and to get the win here”, said Salisbury.
