Koolhof/Mektic seal Shanghai crown, edge closer to Turin

Wesley Koolhof and Nikola Mektic took another strong step towards securing their Nitto ATP Finals qualifications Sunday by capturing their fourth title of 2024 at the Rolex Shanghai Masters.

The duo brought some of their most clinical tennis to edge past Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni 6-4, 6-4 in the championship match, saving 100 per cent (6/6) of break points faced during the contest, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

? Your 2024 Shanghai Doubles Champions ?@wesleykoolhof and @NMektic defeat Gonzalez/ Molteni 6-4 6-4 to win the #RolexShanghaiMasters crown! @SH_RolexMasters pic.twitter.com/lyFOIRWCFZ

“The goal was to reach Turin, we knew what was at stake here,” said Koolhof, who is retiring from professional tennis at the end of the season. “This has been a great week. We are fighting for the last two spots, so this definitely helps. It would be nice to finish my career in Turin. We still have the Davis Cup Finals after that, so that will be special in other ways obviously [due to Rafael Nadal's retirement].”

Koolhof and Mektic, who clinched the Nitto ATP Finals trophy in 2020, are in seventh in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings and trail sixth-placed Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz by just 15 points.

“I think you can see by the look on our faces that we are just thrilled,” added Mektic. “It was such an emotional week. All the matches from the beginning were so tough. We came back from saving match points, being a set and a break down. We came up here today with our best tennis and I am so proud of us, so happy.”

After three years with different partners, Koolhof and Mektic have reunited in 2024 to capture two ATP Masters 1000 titles (Indian Wells and Shanghai) and appear in strong contention to qualify for the season-ending finale.

Gonzalez and Molteni are up to 10th in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings with their strong run in Shanghai, during which they came through three match tie-breaks.