Doubles Review: Kontinen, Kubot/Melo Take Centre Stage In Early 2017

Kontinen New No. 1

Finland’s Henri Kontinen on Monday became the 50th player in the history of the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings to rise to No. 1, following a strong run of form with his regular partner John Peers over the past six months. Kontinen’s rise to the summit ends the 38-week stint at the top spot for France’s Nicolas Mahut.

Read: Kontinen No. 1 Tribute

Kontinen and Peers have put together a 25-6 match record since mid-October 2016, picking up titles at the Paris Masters (d. Herbert-Mahut), the ATP Finals (d. Klaasen-Ram) and the Australian Open (d. Bryans). They were also runners up at the Shanghai Rolex Masters (l. to Isner-Sock). In 2017, they are the early pace-setters in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London.

Kontinen leads Peers (7,560) by 140 points in the Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings, with Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan tied third, narrowly behind on 7,430 points. The Bryans, who have finished in year-end top spot on 10 occasions, had the opportunity to return to No. 1 if they had lifted their fifth trophy at the Miami Open presented by Itau. The twins lost to Nicholas Monroe and Jack Sock in the semi-finals.

Kubot/Melo Enjoy Strong Start

One of the season’s new teams, Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo, are up to No. 2 in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London for one of the eight spots at the ATP Finals, to be held at The O2 from 12-19 November. After a relatively slow start (4-5 record), the Polish-Brazilian tandem hit their stride in the March sunshine by beating Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares twice, en route to finishing runner-up at the BNP Paribas Open (l. to Klaasen-Ram) and capturing the Miami crown (d. Monroe-Sock).

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Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram look to be backing up their late 2016 charge with the Delray Beach Open crown (d. Huey-Mirnyi) and four Match tie-break wins for Indian Wells glory.

Read: Five Things We Learned From Miami

Former No. 1s Close In On Milestones

Keep an eye on Max Mirnyi, who first became No. 1 as a 25 year old on 9 June 2003, as he continues his quest for the 50th doubles trophy of his career in partnership with Treat Huey.

Also, Nenad Zimonjic is seven match wins (693) from becoming the 10th player in ATP World Tour history to record 700 match wins and joining Daniel Nestor, Bob Bryan, Mike Bryan, Todd Woodbridge, Mark Knowles, Sherwood Stewart, Leander Paes and Jonas Bjorkman in the ‘700 Wins Club’. Zimonjic, 40, who first rose to No. 1 on 17 November 2008 and spent 50 weeks in top spot, clinched his 54th career crown in February at the Garanti Koza Sofia Open with Viktor Troicki.