At the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters on Sunday, Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen defeated Marcelo Melo and Alexander Zverev 5-7, 6-3, 10-5, to win their first-ever ATP Masters 1000 championship together
According to Infosys ATP Stats, the Belgians were dominant with their second serve, winning 60% (15/25) of the points behind it. In the Match Tie-break that followed, they quickly won by playing a strong game and winning in one hour and thirty-five minutes
“We are ecstatic,” Gille declared. “Considering the beginning of the year, it was perhaps a bit surprising. After a few challenging months during which we had to make some modifications, we are finally playing on clay. We had an incredible week in one of the most exquisite tournaments in the world, held here in Monte-Carlo. We can’t be happier or more looking forward to what is ahead.”
Together, Gille and Vliegen have already won eight tour-level doubles championships, and their victory in Monte-Carlo has earned them their first trophy of the year. After’s victory at Indian Wells in 2010, they are just the second and third Belgians to win an ATP Masters 1000 doubles championship
Together, Gille and Vliegen had only made two prior trips to Monte-Carlo and had never gone past the first round. They defeated Marcel Granollers/Horacio Zeballos, Ivan Dodig/Austin Krajicek, Kevin Krawietz/Tim Puetz, and Jannik Sinner/Lorenzo Sonego earlier this week. In the PIF ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings, they have moved up 18 ranks to No. 6.
“We have beaten teams we have never beaten before and then in the final, coming back from a set down, so it is a really nice story,” Vliegen stated.
This was Melo and Zverev’s first tour-level doubles final together.
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