Twelve months ago, Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek fell just short of capturing their maiden major title together when they lost in the Roland Garros final. On Saturday, the Croatian-American tandem will have a shot at redemption.
Competing in the semi-finals on Thursday, the fourth seeds moved past 10th seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 7-6(3) to reach the title match at the clay-court event once again.
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Dodig and Krajicek, who squandered three championship points last year, saved three second-set set points against Granollers and Zeballos, coming through the tie-break to earn victory after one hour and 54 minutes.
Dodig and Krajicek have won tour-level titles in Rotterdam and Monte-Carlo this season. They will try to add to that tally when they meet Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in the final.
Belgians Gille and Vliegen defeated Matwe Middelkoop and Andreas Mies 6-4, 7-5 to reach their first major final as a team.
Earlier this season Gille and Vliegen captured tour-level titles in Pune and Estoril. They are up eight spots to sixth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.