Isner/Sock Cruise To Shanghai Doubles Title
Isner/Sock Cruise To Shanghai Doubles Title
Americans controlled the match with their serves
John Isner and Jack Sock capped off the best week of their short-lived doubles team career by winning one of the game’s biggest titles on Sunday at the Shanghai Rolex Masters.
The American duo won their first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 team crown, defeating Henri Kontinen and John Peers 6-4, 6-4 in 62 minutes. Isner/Sock dominated with their serves, as they have all tournament long in the Chinese city. They won 78 per cent of their service points (40/51) and never faced a break point.
Returning serve, Isner/Sock were opportunistic. An Isner overhead handed them their first break for a 3-2 lead in the first set. They converted their second service break for a 4-3 advantage in the second set when an Isner forehand was too much for Kontinen to handle at the net.
The victory gives Sock his second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 doubles crown and his seventh overall ATP World Tour doubles title. He and Canadian Vasek Pospisil took the BNP Paribas Open title last season at Indian Wells. Sock had been 0-3 in doubles finals this season. The 24 year old is the only player ranked in the Top 25 of both Emirates ATP Rankings – No. 25 in singles, No. 23 in doubles.
Isner hadn’t played in a doubles final since the 2012 BNP Paribas Open. His last doubles title came when he was playing with compatriot Sam Querrey in 2011 at the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event in Rome. The 6’10” Isner has now won four ATP World Tour doubles titles. The champions will split 1,000 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and $323,100.
Kontinen/Peers were looking to further bolster their place in the Emirates ATP Doubles Race To London by winning their fourth title of the season. The Finnish/Australian pairing are currently in seventh place, 245 points ahead of eighth-placed Treat Huey and Max Mirnyi. The top eight doubles teams at the end of the season will qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals, to be held 13-20 Nov. at The O2 in London.
Kontinen/Peers had been 3-0 in ATP World Tour doubles finals this season, snagging trophies in Brisbane, Munich and Hamburg. They will receive 600 Emirates ATP Doubles Rankings points and $158,190.