ATP Tour

Ebden/Thompson win ‘s-Hertogenbosch on team Tour debut

Matthew Ebden and Jordan Thompson’s fledgling partnership took little time to settle this week at the Libema Open.

On Saturday, the all-Australian pair downed Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool 6-4, 3-6, 10-7 to clinch the ‘s-Hertogenbosch ATP 250 title in their first ATP Tour event together. The third-seeded Ebden and Thompson, whose only previous tour-level match as a pair was a victory against Tommy Paul and Ben Shelton in the 2024 Davis Cup quarter-finals, won five of the final six points to prevail against Cash and Glasspool.

Ebden and Thompson won 79 per cent (27/34) of points behind first serves, according to Infosys ATP Stats, en route to a 74-minute victory in the Netherlands. It was Thompson’s eighth tour-level doubles crown, while it was a 13th for Ebden and his first since he won gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside John Peers.

“It was a great week,” reflected Thompson, the No. 10 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings. “For me, I had a tough one in singles. Second round, and I lost two match points, but it was a great opportunity for me to get back out on the doubles court. Playing with Matt, we gel well together. We play Davis Cup together, so it’s enjoyable to play with each other. Hopefully it’s building for next week at Queen’s.”

Ebden added: “It’s awesome. Especially playing out there with a fellow Aussie, we’ve shared a lot together over the years, and in Davis Cup particularly. To bring that on the Tour and make a great start here with a title, we couldn’t ask for more.”

Gonzalez/Krajicek complete flawless week in Stuttgart
Santiago Gonzalez and Austin Krajicek tied the bow on a statement week Sunday at the BOSS OPEN, where they lifted their first trophy as a team.

The Mexican-American duo defeated Alex Michelsen and Rajeev Ram 6-4, 6-4 to clinch the ATP 250 title without dropping a set in Stuttgart. Gonzalez and Krajicek, who made their tour-level debut in April, dropped just six of 33 first-serve points, according to Infosys ATP Stats, in their first Lexus ATP Head2Head meeting with their American opponents.

Their triumph in Germany marked a first tour-level title for each since 2023, when Gonzalez won the ATP Masters 1000 in Paris with Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Krajicek captured the ATP 500 crown in Beijing with Ivan Dodig.

“It’s been a little while since I’ve been able to win a title,” said Krajicek, the former No. 1 in the PIF ATP Doubles Rankings. “It feels great to play on a Sunday again and to get a title on the first week on grass is even better. Hopefully Santi and I can keep that form going.”

The 42-year-old Gonzalez, who became the oldest winner in Stuttgart tournament history, added: “I don’t know if it’s good or bad, but I will keep trying for a few more years. My body is feeling great, I’m playing good tennis, so why not [continue]? I am enjoying the Tour and hopefully I can win another few [titles].”