By Glenys Furness
- Neal Skupski reached semi final in Rennes Challenger doubles
- Dom Inglot & Robert Lindstedt knocked out 2nd round Shanghai
Rennes, France Neal Skupski teamed up with Fabrice Martin this week and for the second week in a row reached the semi final. Dom Inglot and Robert Lindstedt played Shanghai and got as far as the second round.
Skupski who was not playing with his brother Ken this week, teamed up with Martin (FRA) for the challenger in Rennes. Taking a straight sets victory in round one they then faced the top seeds Oliver Marach & Nicolas Monroe. Skupski & Martin played extremely well and forced the first set into a tiebreak, which the Brit/French pair won at a canter 7-3. The second set proved to be a little bit easier as the break came for the non seeded pair and they took out the top seeds in straights sets (7-6, 6-4). In the semi final they faced the fourth seeds Wesley Koolhof & Matwe Middelkoop. This proved to be a very close match as the Dutch team took the first set 6-4, the Brit/French team levelled the match taking the second set 6-3. The final spot would be decided by a match tiebreak in which the Dutch team pulled out a lead and sealed the victory 10-6
In Shanghai Inglot & Lindstedt faced Alexander Peya & Bruno Soares. The Brit/Swedish pair took the first set with an ideal break of serve 6-4. The second set was very even and both pairs were unable to take advantage, the set went to a tiebreak which Paye & Soares took. The second round spot would be decided by a match tiebreak. The Brit/Swede pair romped home taking this 10-3 to set up a second round match with eighth seeds Rohan Bopanna & Lukasz Kubot. The seeds were just too strong for Inglot & Lindstedt as they took the match in straight sets 6-3 and a tiebreak.
In Stockholm Joshua Milton played qualifying to try and get to the main draw of the ATP event. His first round match was against Michael Venus. The Brit stayed toe to toe with Venus and forced both sets to tiebreaks, unfortunately the New Zealander was just too strong in both of the breakers.
Over in Luxembourg and Naomi Broady was playing the qualifying tournament and seeded sixth. The first round she faced Richel Hogenkamp. The Dutch player took the early advantage and obtained the first set 6-4, before Broady fought back in the second to level the match taking it 6-3. The match went to the deciding set and unfortunately the Dutch player was just better than the Brit on this day taking the final set 6-3.
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