By Glenys Furness
- Joe Salisbury claimed second Masters title
- World number 1 dropped only 2 sets en route
MONTE CARLO, MONACO – Joe Salisbury & Rajeev Ram entered the 1000 Masters event and were the top seeds. The Brit/American claimed their second masters event title together.
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Joe Salisbury & Rajeev Ram entered the ATP 1000 Masters event and were the top seeds. As a result the Brit/American received a bye in the first round. In the second round Salisbury & Ram were against Gonzalo Escobar & Ariel Behar. The top seeds dominated the first set and cruised through to take the lead. The second set as a little closer as Escobar & Behar tried to get back into the match. However, Salisbury & Ram got the break of serve needed and moved into the next round 6-2, 6-3.
The quarter-final saw the top seeds against Michael Venus & Tim Puetz. The first set was a little close, as Venus & Puetz tried to stay with Salisbury & Ram. Eventually the top seeds secured the break of serve and took the lead. The second set was easier for the top seeds, and they soon moved through into the semi-final 6-4, 6-3.
In the semi-final Salisbury & Ram were against Jamie Murray & Rohan Bopanna. The Brit/Indian broke early in the first set and took the lead over the top seeds. However, the Brit/American re-grouped in the second set, and forced a tiebreak. In the breaker the top seeds edged the lead and managed to hold on to level the match. In the final match tiebreak set both sides played well and it was very close. Eventually the top seeds secured the break required and took the match 3-6, 7-6(4), 11-9.
The final saw the Brit/American against sixth seeds Robert Farah and Juan-Sebastian Cabal. Salisbury & Ram broke in the first set to take the lead. However, Farah & Cabal fought back in the second set, breaking the top seeds to level the match. In the match tiebreak, it was the top seeds that edged ahead and took the title 6-4, 3-6, 10-7.
Bellinzona, Switzerland
Alicia Barnett & Olivia Nicholls entered the ITF event and were the top seeds. The Brits drew Natalia Vikhlyantseva & Simona Waltert in the first round. The first set was fairly easy for the Brits as Barnet & Nicholls broke serve to move ahead. The second set was closer however, as Vikhlyantseva & Waltert stayed with the top seeds and forced a tiebreak. The Brits took the tiebreak and moved into the next round in straight sets 6-3, 7-6(4).
In the quarter-final the Brits were against Jenny Duerst & Carole Monnet. Barnett & Nicholls dominated the first set and took the lead. However, the Swiss/French pair fought back in the second set, breaking the top seeds to level up the match. In the match tiebreak the Brits edged through to book a spot in the semi-final 6-1, 3-6, 10-8.
The semi-final saw the top seeds against Emily Webley-Smith & Leoni Kung. Barnett & Nicholls once again dominated the first set, as the Brit/Swiss pair struggled to hold serve. The second set was much closer, as Webley-Smith & Kung forced a tiebreak. However, the top seeds eased through the breaker to claim the match 6-1, 7-6(3).
In the final the Brits were against the second seeds Xenia Knoll & Oksana Selekhmeteva. The first set saw both pairs go toe to toe, with neither giving an inch. In the ensuing tiebreak, it was the second seeds that edged through to take the lead. The second set saw Barnett & Nicholls manage to break the serve of the second seeds and level up the match. The final set was a match tiebreak and although close at first, it was the Brits that edged through to lift the title 6-7(7), 6-4, 10-7.
Doubles Round Up
Neal Skupski with Wesley Koolhof were defeated by Jamie Murray and Rohan Bopanna in the first round in Monte Carlo 2-6, 6-3, 12-10.
Cameron Norrie with Alex De Minaur were defeated by Jean-Julien Rojer & Marcelo Arevalo-Gonzlez in the first round in Monte Carlo 6-3, 6-3.
Dan Evans with Diego Schwartzman were defeated by Marcel Granollers & Horacio Zeballos in the second round in Monte Carlo 0-0 (RET).
Emily Appleton & Ali Collins were defeated by Elsa Jacquemot & Natalija Stevanovic in the first round in Bellinzona 7-6(6), 6-7(2), 10-7.
Scott Duncan with Dominik Kellovsky were defeated by Omar Giacalone & Alexander Weis in the first round in Santa Margherita di Pula 7-6(4), 7-5.
Toby Martin with Stephanos Schinas were defeated by Felix Gill & Jack Pinnington-Jones in the quarter-final in Santa Margherita di Pula 6-2, 6-2.
Felix Gill & Jack Pinnington-Jones were defeated by Matteo Gigante & Francesco Maestrelli in the semi-final in Santa Margherita di Pula 6-3, 6-3.
Emilie Lindh with Hanna Vinahradava were defeated by Dasha Ivanova & Ekatarina Yashina in the first round in Monastir 6-3, 7-6(4).
Luc Koenig & Andreas Scott were defeated by Li Zhe & Yunchaokete Bu in the quarter-final in Monastir 6-1, 7-5.
Tara Moore with Emina Bektas were defeated by Kayla Day & Ellie Douglas in the first round in Palm Harbour 7-5, 1-0 (RET).
Samantha Murray Sharan with Julia Lohoff were defeated by Sophie Chang & Angela Kulikov in the semi-final in Palm Harbour 6-3, 6-4.
Andra Sutherland with Milla Sequeira were defeated by Francisca Jorge & Matilde Jorge in the first round in Oeiras 6-1, 6-3.
Next Week Brits play in Barcelona, Belgrade, Aguascalientes, Split, Nottingham, Italy, USA, Stuttgart, Switzerland & Tunisia.
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