Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo continued their outstanding season by taking the doubles title at the Ricoh Open on Saturday, living up to their top seed status in ‘s-Hertogenbosch by defeating second seeds Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 6-4.
“We’ve had a really good year. It’s another title for us, so we’re very happy with the way we’re playing,” said Kubot. “It’s a little bit more pressure as the top seeds, but as you could see at Roland Garros, the top two seeds lost in the first round. Everybody is playing good now.”
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This is the third title of 2017 for Kubot/Melo. They have excelled in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events this year, winning in Madrid (d. Mahut/Roger-Vasselin) and Miami (d. Monroe/Sock), in addition to finishing runner-up in Indian Wells (l. Klaasen/Ram). They pick up 250 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split a cheque for €31,910.
Klaasen/Ram drop to 2-1 in ATP World Tour doubles finals this season. They prevailed in February in Delray Beach (d. Huey/Mirnyi), then took out Kubot/Melo for their first Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells. Klaasen was also a finalist last year in ‘s-Hertogenbosch with Dominic Inglot (l. Pavic/Venus). He and Ram earn 150 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and split €16,780.
A single break of serve in each set was all Kubot/Melo needed to take the title in 65 minutes. They saved all three break points faced and were particularly efficient in their service games, landing 80 per cent of their first serves and winning 78 per cent of first-serve points.