Home favourites Krawietz/Puetz defend Hamburg crown; Legend Paes presents Goransson/Verbeek Newport trophy

Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz are happy at home in Hamburg once again.

The German pair on Sunday claimed the title for the second straight year at the Hamburg Open, where they overcame third seeds Fabien Reboul and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6(8), 6-2. Krawietz and Puetz saved a set point in the tie-break before clinching the opening set, and they then dominated the second set to seal the title at the clay-court ATP 500.

“It was a little bit less stressful in the second set but was very tight in the first,” said Puetz after the match. “We had some chances that we didn’t take. I thought they had some chances that they didn’t take, and then in the end the tie-break was 10-8. It could have gone either way.

“It was very hot, very humid, it was tough on everyone and tough to play. Definitely happy to be champion here again. To defend the title here in Hamburg is absolutely amazing and it was a great atmosphere.”

After prevailing in their maiden Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with all-French combo Reboul and Roger-Vasselin, Krawietz and Puetz improved to 27-13 for the season. They did not a drop a set all week in Hamburg, where Puetz also lifted the trophy in 2021 with Michael Venus after beating Krawietz and Horia Tecau in the championship match.

With their first tour-level title of 2024, Krawietz and Puetz have risen one spot to sixth in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. They will hope to continue their good form at the upcoming Paris Olympics, where they will represent Germany together.

“I think we played a very good level here in Hamburg,” said Krawietz. “For the week before the Olympics, for us to go to the Olympics with this level, we hope we can continue [in this way]. Of course [in Paris] we will start from zero, and go match by match, point by point.”

Goransson/Verbeek win Newport on ATP Tour team debut
Andre Goransson and Sem Verbeek capped a dream first week competing together on the ATP Tour at the Infosys Hall of Fame Open, where the Swedish-Dutch duo downed Robert Cash and James Tracy 6-3, 6-4 on Sunday to lift the trophy.

The sixth-seeded Goransson and Verbeek clinched the only break of serve in each set to notch a one-hour triumph against home wild cards Cash and Tracy on the Newport grass. The pair has previously won two ATP Challenger Tour titles, both in 2019, but had never before entered a tour-level draw together prior to this week.

“It feels amazing to do it together,” said Goransson, now a two-time tour-level champion, who later revealed he had competed against Verbeek in college tennis as early as 2013. “We’ve been working together for a few months now. Before that, we played with each other in 2016 and 2019. We are great friends, and there’s probably no one I would rather do it with.”

Sem Verbeek and Andre Goransson hold the trophy with ATP Tour legend Stan Smith in Newport. Photo Credit: Andrew Eichenholz/ATP Tour

Reflecting on their time apart, first-time ATP Tour titlist Verbeek said: “We started another professional relationship really just because of the rankings, it didn’t work out for a while. He was quite high, and now we are finally getting there together. It feels good, to get the trophy from Leander [Paes] as well, who was a massive doubles player for so long, it felt great. To share it with such a great friend on Tour makes it even more special.”

Goransson had extra words for ATP Tour legend Paes, who was this week inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. The Indian won 54 tour-level doubles titles and is a former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings.

“He’s quite a legend in our field of work. I spoke a little bit with him. I actually played in his last professional event, back in 2020. He was still pretty good then. [You always have respect] for someone who has done so much for the sport, so it’s the icing on the cake.”

Bhambri/Olivetti ‘find a way’ to Gstaad crown
Yuki Bhambri and Albano Olivetti’s fledgling partnership picked up a second ATP Tour title on Sunday at the EFG Swiss Open Gstaad. The third-seeded duo rallied past Ugo Humbert and Fabrice Martin 3-6, 6-3, 10-6 to clinch the title at the clay ATP 250.

With unpredictable weather forecast for Sunday afternoon in Gstaad, Olivetti was delighted to have finished the job with a 67-minute win in the Swiss Alps. The Frenchman and his Indian partner Bhambri, who first teamed in April and lifted a title together in Munich in their second event together, won 89 per cent (33/37) of points behind first serves, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

“We didn’t even know if we would have the chance to play today, but the weather was on our side to play the final,” said Olivetti. “We tried to keep focused since we got up. The match didn’t start very well for us. They had a good start. They played well and somehow we turned it around. We had a really good level in the second and the Match Tie-break, so I think it is a good win for us. Hopefully we can use it to continue like this.”

Bhambri added: “I think they came out strong. They played really well, served really well, so our main focus was to hang in there and wait for an opportunity. We knew if the scores were close, we might get an opportunity, because it’s not the easiest to close out matches here. So that’s what we did. We served better, started returning better in the second set, and found a way in the end.”

Luz/Matos clinch maiden title as a team in Bastad
Brazilian duo Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos’ turned their strong friendship into a title-winning one at the Nordea Open. The third-seeded pair defeated Manuel Guinard and Gregoire Jacq 7-5, 6-4 to seal the trophy at the clay ATP 250 in Bastad.

Rafael Matos lifts Orlando Luz off the clay as the pair celebrate winning the title in Bastad. Photo Credit: Nordea Open/Johan Lilja

It was a ninth ATP Tour doubles crown for Matos, and his second in Bastad after he also won in 2022 alongside David Vega Hernandez. Meanwhile it was a maiden tour-level triumph for the 26-year-old Luz.

“If not the most proud [moment of my career], it is one of them,” said Matos. “I love this place. The energy here, it’s amazing. The conditions make it my favourite place, so I really like to be here. My fourth year here. My third final, and second title, so I’m just happy to win one more and next year I will be here for sure.”

Luz added: “I’m very happy to get a title with him. We are best friends and always together. This is my first one and I’m really happy to share it with him. While I was a bit nervous at the end, which everybody could see I think, we played very good. I’m very happy and just want to take some time to enjoy it.”

[NEWSLETTER FORM]