Rajeev Ram picked up his 200th ATP World Tour doubles victory on Thursday at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, teaming with Raven Klaasen for a marathon 6-7(7), 7-6(5), 10-5 quarter-final win over local qualifiers Andre Begemann and Tim Puetz.
The second seeds and two-time defending champions missed a set point at 6/5 in the first-set tie-break, but regrouped to prevail in one hour and 47 minutes. Next up for Klaasen/Ram are another pair of Germans in brothers Alexander Zverev and Mischa Zverev.
Top seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo continued their top grass-court form with a 6-1, 6-4 win over Spaniards Roberto Bautista Agut and David Ferrer. Kubot/Melo are still unbeaten on grass this year after taking the title last week in ‘s-Hertogenbosch (d. Klaasen/Ram).
Awaiting them in the semi-finals are Fabrice Martin and Albert Ramos-Vinolas, who saved a set point in the first-set tie-break en route to defeating third seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 7-6(7), 6-3.
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Over at the Aegon Championships in London, third seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares defeated reigning Roland Garros champions Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus 7-6(1), 4-6, 10-6 to reach the semi-finals. Murray/Soares are also unbeaten on grass this year after prevailing last week in Stuttgart (d. Marach/Pavic).
Next up for Murray/Soares are Marin Cilic and Marcin Matkowski, who outlasted Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demoliner 7-6(9), 1-6, 10-8. Cilic/Matkowski saved three set points in the first-set tie-break.
Frenchman Julien Benneteau and Edouard Roger-Vasselin scored an upset over fourth seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan 7-6(4), 4-6, 10-6. They’ll play Rohan Bopanna and Ivan Dodig for a place in the final.
