Aussies Jordan Thompson and Thanasi Kokkinakis scored a big upset on Wednesday in the opening round of doubles action at Wimbledon, taking out ninth seeds and 2015 champions Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 7-6(4), 7-6(4), 7-6(4).
There were no breaks of serve in the match, but Kokkinakis/Thompson hung tough to advance in two hours and 44 minutes. Next up for them are qualifiers Ariel Behar and Aliaksandr Bury or Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demoliner.
Fourth seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo needed just 80 minutes to move past Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop 6-4, 6-0, 6-3. Kubot/Melo are unbeaten on grass this year after winning titles at the Ricoh Open (d. Klaasen/Ram) and Gerry Weber Open (d. Zverev/Zverev). Awaiting them in the second round are Philipp Petzschner and Alexander Peya or Robin Haase and Dominic Inglot.
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Sixth seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers opened their fortnight with a marathon 7-6(4), 6-3, 6-7(9), 6-7(4), 6-4 match over Jonathan Erlich and Treat Huey in four hours and 34 minutes. They have another tricky match ahead in the dangerous duo of Julien Benneteau and Vasek Pospisil. Benneteau was a runner-up here last year (w/Roger-Vasselin), while Pospisil took the title in 2014 (w/Sock).
Seventh seeds Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram had a far easier time, not facing a break point in their 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory against Marius Copil and Fernando Verdasco. Klaasen/Ram play the Indian duo of Purav Raja and Divij Sharan in the second round.
Other top teams to win first-round matches on Wednesday include tenth seeds and Roland Garros champions Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus, 12th seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah, 13th seeds Fabrice Martin and Daniel Nestor, and 15th seeds Julio Peralta and Horacio Zeballos.
The other significant upset of the day came from another Aussie duo in Matt Reid and John-Patrick Smith, who took out 11th seeds Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez 3-6, 7-6(2), 6-2, 6-4.
