Doubles Groups Announced For 2019 Nitto ATP Finals

The doubles groups are set for the 2019 Nitto ATP Finals, with top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah leading the way in hopes of capturing their first title at the season finale.

Cabal and Farah, who have already clinched the year-end No. 1 ATP Doubles Team Ranking and have a 5-2 record in tour-level finals in 2019, lead Group Max Mirnyi, which begins on 11 November. The Colombians made their debut at The O2 last season, advancing to the semi-finals as the second seeds. They are back in London looking to go two steps further.

Also in their group are third seeds Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies, the Roland Garros champions who are making their Nitto ATP Finals debut. Sixth seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau have plenty of experience at this event, where they triumphed in 2015. This is their fourth team appearance.

Rounding out Group Max Mirnyi are Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who completed their Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open. They carry momentum into the event after triumphing at the Rolex Paris Masters.

Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo, the second seeds, headline Group Jonas Bjorkman, which begins play on 10 November. Last season’s year-end No.1 Doubles Team will try to raise the Nitto ATP Finals trophy for the first time.

They are joined by two first-time team qualifiers and one returning pair. The fourth seeds are Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, who came together as a team to start 2019. Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus, the fifth seeds, are making their second straight appearance.

An interesting wrinkle is that Klaasen and Ram made the final in 2016 as a team, and they also played in 2017 as alternates. The last team in the group is eighth seeds Ivan Dodig and Filip Polasek. The duo first partnered in June, but titles in Cincinnati and Beijing helped propel them to London.

Henri Kontinen and John Peers, winners of the Nitto ATP Finals titles in 2016 and 2017, will serve as first doubles alternates at the season finale. Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin are the second doubles alternates.

Max Mirnyi and Jonas Bjorkman won the 2006 season finale doubles title in Shanghai. Additionally, Mirnyi lifted the 2011 trophy with Daniel Nestor at The O2 in London, while Bjorkman partnered fellow Swede Jan Apell to the 1994 crown in Jakarta.

from Tennis - ATP World Tour https://ift.tt/2PPVIN6