Bryan Brothers Survive Upset-Filled First Round
It’s anyone’s guess who will take the doubles title at Roland Garros after a wild first round filled with upsets. For the first time in the Open Era at this event, the top two seeds have not passed the opening hurdle. The last time this happened at a Grand Slam was at the 2015 US Open.
Third seeds Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan avoided an early-round casualty on Wednesday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Philipp Petzschner and Alexander Peya. The Bryan brothers, finalists in the past two years at Roland Garros, are looking to win their third crown at this event. They’ll next play Sam Groth and Robert Lindstedt, who survived Brian Baker and Nikola Mektic 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(3).
Second seeds and local favourites Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut weren’t as fortunate, falling to Aussie duo Nick Kyrgios and Jordan Thompson 7-6(8), 4-6, 6-3. Kyrgios/Thompson saved three set points at 4-5 in the opening set and another in the tie-break at 7/8. They’ll face off in the second round against Jan-Lennard Struff and Mischa Zverev, who defeated wild cards Gregoire Jacq and Hugo Nys 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
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Fourth seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo overcame a spirited challenge from local favourites Julien Benneteau and Jeremy Chardy to advance 3-6, 6-2, 6-3. The win also gives Melo his 400th career ATP World Tour doubles victory. The in-form Kubot/Melo will square off against Ryan Harrison and Michael Venus for a spot in the round of 16.
Seventh seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers eased past Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demoliner 6-4, 6-4. Next up for them are Malek Jaziri and Andreas Seppi, who needed two hours and 20 minutes to defeat Wesley Koolhof and Matwe Middelkoop 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 6-4.
Ninth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Pablo Cuevas had a much easier time, requiring just 53 minutes to move past local duo Mathias Bourgue and Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-1, 6-1. They’ll play Treat Huey and Denis Istomin in the next round.
Other seeded duos to advance on Wednesday include 12th seeds Marcin Matkowski and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, and 15th seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic.
Go inside the tournament at RolandGarros.com