Doumbia/Reboul Upset Koolhof/Skupski In Shanghai

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Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul’s success on Chinese soil continued Thursday at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, where the French duo downed second seeds Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski 7-6(5), 6-4 to reach the semi-finals.

Doumbia and Reboul, who lifted their maiden ATP Tour title in Chengdu two weeks ago, delivered a top-class serving performance against Koolhof and Skupski to reach the last four at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time. They won 81 per cent (38/47) of points behind their first delivery for a one-hour, 48-minute triumph.

Doumbia and Reboul are now 26-18 for the season. The pair has won two ATP Challenger Tour titles this year, alongside its Chengdu triumph, and is currently 16th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. Lifting the biggest title of their careers in Shanghai would boost Doumbia and Reboul as they look to make a late charge at qualification for the season-ending Nitto ATP Finals.

Their semi-final opponents in Shanghai will be fourth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden, who eased to a 6-4, 6-2 triumph against Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer. The Indian-Australian duo is chasing its second Masters 1000 crown of the year after they triumphed in March in Indian Wells.

Bopanna and Ebden remain third in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings. Thursday’s one-hour, two-minute victory further strengthens their hopes of joining Ivan Dodig/Austin Krajicek and Koolhof/Skupski in securing a Nitto ATP Finals spot.