Yuki Bhambri wins maiden ATP doubles title in Mallorca

Mallorca (Spain), July 2 Indian tennis player Yuki Bhambri clinched his first ATP Tour title after winning the Mallorca Open 2023 men's doubles final with his South African partner Lloyd Harris, here.

The Indian-South African duo defeated the Dutch-Austrian pair of Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald 6-3, 6-4 in the ATP 250 final on Saturday, completing their run without losing a set.

The trophy is the first ATP Tour crown for both men across both singles and doubles. Only Harris had previously reached a tour-level final, twice in singles and once before in doubles.

"Definitely a lot of fun. We went in with no expectations I think this week. We just enjoyed playing, took it match by match and had a great tournament. It's a great city, a great place and I really enjoyed playing here," the 30-year-old Bhambri was quoted as saying by ATP Tour.

"We had so much fun out there," said the 26-year old Harris, who became the first South African to win an ATP Tour title since Raven Klaasen last year in Seoul.

"We really enjoyed it. I didn't even know I was going to play this week. For me, it's just all a bonus. Super stoked with the title," he added.

After knocking out fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the quarter-finals and top seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the semis, Bhambri and Harris converted on four of six breakpoints in their final victory. Aided by eight aces, they won 90 per cent of their first-serve points and faced just two break points, saving one.

Bhambri moved up to No. 58 in the ATP Doubles Live Rankings with the title, setting himself up for a new career high.

Notably, Bhambri, who will turn 31 on Tuesday, took up doubles last year following an injury-marred singles career.

Yuki Bhambri has mostly partnered with compatriot Saketh Myneni in the men’s doubles. The duo won the Bangkok Open Challenger title back in January before claiming the Girona Challenger in Spain in April this year.

The Indian pair also competed at the Australian Open 2023 and won their first Grand Slam match at the French Open 2023, where they defeated the French pair of Arthur Rinderknech and Enzo Couacaud.

--IANS