Mackenzie McDonald and Marcelo Melo won the doubles title on their debut as a team at the Rakuten Japan Open in Tokyo.
McDonald and Melo won their second Match Tie-Break this week beating Rafael Matos and David Vega Hernandez 6-4 3-6 10-4. McDonald and Melo went up a 2-0 lead with an early mini-break. Matos and Vega pulled back on serve to draw level to draw level to 2-2.
McDonald and Melo won four points from 3-3 to open up a 7-3 lead. McDonald hit a return winner to take a 7-3 lead. Melo won three of the next four points to clinch the Match Tie-Break 10-4.
Melo won the 2015 doubles title alongside Raaven Klaasen in his last appearance at the Tokyo tournament.
The first two sets were decided by a single break. McDonald and Melo earned the first break in the fifth game to win the opening set 6-4. Matos and Vega Hernandez claimed the second set with a break in the second game.
“It was a long time since I played here in Tokyo. I always wanted to come back. I am very happy to get another title here in Tokyo. It was a very tough match. Matos and Vega Hernandez are playing very good. They just won a title last week in Sofia. They have played together. I think this was important for me and Mackie to play the same way as we were playing since the beginning, focus on what we have to do. You never know what can happen in a Match Tie-Break, but we played very good. Mackie helped a lot. It’s not easy to play together for the first time”, said Melo.
“It’s the first doubles title for me, so it’s pretty special to do it here in Japan”, said McDonald.
