By Glenys Furness
- Neal Skupski makes Miami Masters final
- Joe Salisbury becomes World number 1 doubles player
MIAMI, FLORIDA, USA – Neal Skupski & Wesley Koolhof entered the Miami Masters and were the sixth seeds. The pair made the final before falling to defeat.
[table “ADPDAll” not found /]
Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof entered the ATP 1000 Miami Masters and were the sixth seeds. The Brit/Dutchman were against Matwe Middelkoop & Lloyd Harris in the first round. The first set was very tight affair with the Brit/Dutch pair held to a tiebreak by the Dutch/South African pair. The seeds edged the breaker to take the lead. The second set looked to be heading the same way, as both pairs didn’t want to give an inch. Fortunately, Skupski & Koolhof managed to get the break of serve and move into the next round 7-6(6), 7-5.
The second round saw the sixth seeds against Pedro Martinez & Lorenzo Sonego. The Spaniard/Italian were easily broken in the first set by Skupski & Koolhof who took the lead. The second set was much closer though. Martinez & Sonego were not going to go quietly and forced a tiebreak. The Brit/Dutch pair once again edged the breaker and booked a spot in the quarter-final 6-3, 7-6(8).
In the quarter-final Skupski & Koolhof were against Rohan Bopanna & Denis Shapovalov. The Indian/Canadian were no match for the Brit/Dutch pairing. The sixth seeds dominated the match from start to finish. No matter what Bopanna & Shapovalov tried, Skupski & Koolhof were equal to it. The Brit/Dutch moved through to the semi-final in straight sets 6-2, 6-1.
The semi-final pitched the Brit/Dutch pair against Italians Simone Bolelli & Fabio Fognini. The sixth seeds dominated the first set as Bolelli & Fognini struggled to hold serve. However, in the second set the Italians regrouped and managed to break serve to level up the match. In the ensuing match tiebreak the Brit/Dutch pair secured the break to take the match and move into the final 6-1, 3-6, 10-5.
In the final the Brit/Dutch pair were against wildcard pairing John Isner & Herbert Hurkacz. The American/Polish pair stayed toe to toe with Skupski & Koolhof in the first set, forcing a tiebreak. The wildcard pair edged the tiebreak to take the lead. The second set saw Isner & Hurkacz break the serve of Skupski & Koolhof to take the title 7-6(5), 6-4.
World Number 1
Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram were also in Miami, the Brit/American were the second seeds. At the start of the event Mate Pavic & Nikola Mektic were the top ranking pair in the men’s doubles. Salisbury & Ram would need to progress at least one round further than the Croats to take the top spot. Pavic & Mektic were the top seeds. They were defeated by Bopanna & Shapovalov in the second round. Salisbury & Ram reached the quarter-final before being defeated by Isner & Hurkacz, meaning that the Brit/American become the top ranked doubles team, with Salisbury become the world number 1. Britian’s third world number 1 and the first not named Murray.
Doubles Round Up
Jamie Murray with Bruno Soares were defeated by Maximo Gonzalez & Federico Delbonis in the first round in Miami 6-7(4), 6-4, 10-8.
Lloyd Glasspool with Michael Venus were defeated by Joe Salisbury & Rajeev Ram in the first round in Miami 7-5, 6-4.
Jonny O’Mara & Ken Skupski were defeated by Roman Jebavy & Philipp Oswald in the quarter-final in Marbella 2-6, 6-3, 10-7.
Ryan Peniston & Alastair Gray were defeated by Michail Pervolarakis & Marek Gengel in the quarter-final in Saint Brieuc 7-5, 2-6, 10-8.
Josef Southcombe with Filip Peliwo were defeated by Michal Novansky & Lukas Palovic in the first round in Monastir 6-4, 7-5.
Oscar Weightman with Michal Dembek were defeated by Szymon Kielan & Michal Mikula in the semi-final in Monastir 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 10-4.
Eden Silva with Mona Barthel were defeated by Isabelle Haverlag & Justina Mikulskyte in the first round in Croissy-Beaubourg 6-4, 6-3.
Emily Appleton & Ali Collins were defeated by Sofya Lansere & Oksana Selekhmeteva in the quarter-final in Croissy-Beaubourg 6-3, 6-1.
Naiktha Bains with Yuki Naito were defeated by Ankita Raina & Arina Rodionova in the quarter-final in Canberra 6-7(2), 6-3, 10-7.
Yuriko Lily Miyazaki with Sara Bejlek were defeated by Timea Babos & Valeria Savinykh in the first round in Pretoria 7-6(4), 6-3.
Katie Swan with Irina Khromacheva were defeated by Adrienn Nagy & Anastasia Tikhonova in the quarter-final in Pretoria 0-0 (RET).
Abigail Amos & Emma Wilson were defeated by Dasha Ivanova & Stephanie Visscher in the quarter-final in Sharm El Sheikh 6-2, 6-1.
Next Week Brits play in Warwick, Marrakech, Mexico City, Egypt, Tunisia, Charleston, Bogota & South Africa.
 |
| Follow Britwatch - Sport in General, Brits in Particular! | |
|---|---|
| Soundcloud | |
| YouTube | |
| We may receive compensation for products purchased via affiliate links on this website | |