ATP Tour

Tokyo champs Krajicek/Mektic, Beijing winners Cash/Glasspool boost Turin hopes

Could Austin Krajicek and Nikola Mektic be making a late push for a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals?

The pair strengthened their case by claiming their second title of the season on Tuesday at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships. Krajicek and Mektic overcame second seeds Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti 7-6(5), 5-7, 10-6 in the final of the ATP 500 event.

With their title run in Tokyo, Krajicek and Mektic rose one place to 12th in the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings with 2,730 points. While they remain 1,000 points behind eighth-placed Guido Andreozzi and Manuel Guinard, there is still plenty of opportunity for movement during the final two months of the ATP Tour season.

The fourth seeds were impressive under pressure throughout their Tokyo campaign, winning all seven tie-breaks they contested, including Match Tie-breaks, according to Infosys ATP Stats. They saved a match point in their opening match against Petr Nouza and Michael Venus before going on to defeat top seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the semi-finals.

Krajicek and Mektic, both former Doubles World No. 1s, first teamed up in Paris in 2018 before reuniting in Tokyo last year. Since getting back together, they have won titles in Delray Beach and Tokyo, as well as reaching finals in Washington and Winston-Salem this season.

“I want to thank my partner. It’s been a long 12 months since we started [again] last year,” Krajicek said. “We got smoked here in the first round… We’ve made some improvements and it’s been really fun to be back here in Tokyo.”

Two spots higher than Krajicek and Mektic in the Live Doubles Teams Rankings are Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool, who also tasted ATP 500 title-winning success on Tuesday at the China Open. The British pair overcame Dutch duo Sander Arends and David Pel 6-3, 3-6, 10-6 to earn its third trophy of the season (after Barcelona and Washington).

“Every win is incredible, and to win on a court like this in front of so many people is amazing,” Glasspool said.

Cash added: “An absolute pleasure to be here in Beijing. We came all the way here last year and unfortunately had to withdraw, so to come out here and pick up the trophy this year means a little extra for sure.”

Having finished 2025 by claiming ATP Year-End Doubles No. 1 presented by PIF honours, Cash and Glasspool have racked up a 31-18 record together so far this season. The 10th-placed pair is just 310 points shy of ninth-placed Arribage and Olivetti in the Live Doubles Teams Rankings, leaving them well-placed for a further surge towards a second consecutive qualification for the Nitto ATP Finals.