Ebden/Smith To Face Top Seeds For Singapore Doubles Crown
Fourth seeds Matthew Ebden and John-Patrick Smith charged into their first ATP Tour final as a team at the Singapore Tennis Open after defeating Luis David Martinez and David Vega Hernandez 6-4, 6-4 on Saturday.
The Aussie duo has been in form since joining forces at the start of the season. Ebden and Smith enjoyed a strong showing on home soil and reached back-to-back quarter-finals in their first two tournaments, the Great Ocean Road Open and Australian Open.
They’ve kept up the high level in Singapore, dropping only one set en route to the final. Ebden and Smith needed an hour and 15 minutes to end Martinez’s and Vega Hernandez’s run inside Centre Court. The Venezuelan-Spanish team toppled No. 2 seeds Rohan Bopanna and Ben McLachlan in the opening match, but they couldn’t keep up with Ebden and Smith in the semi-final.
Ebden and Smith created six break opportunities across two sets, converting on three occasions. The Aussies needed just one break to claim the opening set, but found themselves having to fight back from 0-3 down in the second. Ebden and Smith responded by combining for four aces and winning the last five games of the match to seal their spot in the final.
[WATCH LIVE 3]The fourth seeds will face the Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen for the Singapore doubles crown. Gille and Vliegen, the top seeds, are closing in on their fifth ATP Tour title together and booked their spot in the final with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over No. 3 seeds Luke Bambridge and Dominic Inglot on Friday.