Yuki Bhambri and Alexei Popyrin capped a perfect team debut on Saturday by lifting the trophy at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
The Indian-Australian duo saved four championship points to claim a nail-biting 3-6, 7-6(12), 10-8 victory over second seeds Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten in the championship match. Bhambri and Popyrin, teaming together for the first time at the ATP 500 event, conjured some inspired shot-making in the second-set tie-break to turn the clash on its head and ultimately secure the title after a nervy Match Tie-break.
“It was just about having fun on the court,” said Bhambri, who claimed his maiden ATP 500 title. “We went match by match… We were so close to losing in the first round, so it’s unbelievable to be in the finals and to win it — I don’t think I ever dreamt of that. Alexei is an incredible player, we all know that he’s very good in singles, but I think he has a great doubles career ahead of him as well.”
After the dramatic one-hour, 51-minute victory, Bhambri will rise to a new career high of No. 40 in the PIF ATP Rankings on Monday. Along with Popyrin, who was competing in his maiden ATP Tour doubles final, the duo is up to No. 14 in the PIF ATP Doubles Teams Rankings. In Saturday’s final, they converted both of the break points they created, according to Infosys ATP Stats.
Popyrin added: “It’s been unbelievable. I’ve been coming to this tournament since I was a kid. I grew up here in Dubai and played a lot of tournaments at the Aviation Club. It’s always special coming back here. To win a title, whether it’s singles or doubles, is always special. I want to thank Yuki for being an unbelievable teacher in doubles, because I don’t play much doubles.”
Heliovaara and Patten, the reigning Wimbledon and Australian Open champions, were chasing their sixth tour-level title. Yet the No. 1 duo in the PIF ATP Doubles Teams Rankings, were unable to convert any of the four match points they carved out in the second-set tie-break, which all came on their opponents’ serve.
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