By Philip James
Dominic Inglot/Treat Huey def Mikhail Elgin /Denis Istomin 6-3, 7-6(5)
Dominic Inglot became the only Brit to reach the third round of Roland Garros so far this year, as he and Treat Huey won their men’s doubles match today.
London-born Inglot and his regular partner Huey, from the Philippines, beat Mikhail Elgin and Denis Istomin 6-3, 7-6(5) in an hour and 14 minutes.
Russian Elgin and his Uzbek partner are ranked 65th and 74th respectively in doubles and Istomin is also a top 50 singles player.
But Huey and Inglot are themselves ranked 25th and 37th and are in fine form after reaching the final of the ATP250 Power Horse Cup in Düsseldorf last week.
Elgin and Istomin had two break points in the first set but could take neither and Inglot and Huey made them pay, breaking at 4-3 and serving out to take the set.
The British-Filipino pairing broke immediately to start the second set but could not consolidate as their opponents broke right back.
At 2-2 Inglot and Huey took what looked to be the deciding break and held it to 5-4 but were broken from 30-0 up as they tried to serve out the set.
Like the beginning of the second set, Inglot and Huey started the ensuing tie-break well, with a min-break to take the first point.
But again Elgin and Istomin fought back to take the next four points, including two mini-breaks to lead 4-1.
But Inglot and Huey were not to be denied, and got back on serve to lead 6-5 and took their first match point with another mini-break.
In the next round they will face French pair Michael Llodra and Nicolas Mahut who are ranked 46th and 70th in doubles.
It will be a touch match-up against two veteran players, both traditionally singles specialists but who now play excellent doubles and will have the ‘backing’ of the French crowd.
But Inglot is at a career high ranking and a long run on the Parisian red clay will really help his push towards the top 20 and wider recognition.