[공홈] Singles Stars Makes Strong Team Showings
© Getty Images
The first day of doubles action at Masters Series Monte-Carlo presented by Rolex featured three players in the Top 10 of the South African Airways ATP Rankings.
World No. 3 Novak Djokovic teamed up with Czech Radek Stepanek to a 6-4, 6-3 win over Jordan Kerr and Rogier Wassen. They converted on three of their four break point opportunities and saved all eight they faced to earn a second round clash against reigning US Open champions Simon Aspelin and Julian Knowle, the No. 5 seeds.
Djokovic and Stepanek, who is ranked No. 26 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, reached the Adelaide final last year in their only previous appearance as a team.
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal and fellow Spaniard Tommy Robredo, ranked No. 18, eased past the Monegasque wild card duo of Guillaume Couillard and Jean-Rene Lisnard, 6-2, 6-1 in 48 minutes. They next meet third seeds Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic, who have each won multiple Monte-Carlo titles with different partners.
Nadal and Robredo improve to a 20-10 record as a duo. They won the Chennai title in 2004, and later that year made a surprising run to the US Open semifinals.
Paul Hanley and Leander Paes set up a date with Stanford ATP Doubles Race leaders Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram, the No. 2 seeds, after dismissing the Argentine duo of World No. 7 David Nalbandian and Sebastian Prieto, 6-4, 6-3.
Hanley and Paes previously faced Erlich and Ram three years ago in the Bangkok final, defeating the Israelis to clinch the title in their first tournament as a tandem.
Erlich and Ram will be looking to win their first match in Monte-Caro (0-3). They have won 14 of their last 16 matches since the beginning of their Australian Open title run, and have a 17-4 record this season.