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[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-microphone”] Match Recap from Announcer Andy Taylor, Voice of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open
2019 Doubles Champions: Pierre-Hugues Herbert and David Goffin
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and David Goffin have been buddies since they were kids. In fact, the last Final they played as a team was at a Junior event in Brazil 11-years-ago. They lost that match, but Goffin went on to make history — becoming the first Belgian to crack the top-10. Since then, Herbert has captured three Doubles Majors and is a Davis Cup Champion.
They’ve done okay for themselves.
Tonight, the tandem won their first ATP Tour title together, defeating Robin Haase and Matwe Middelkoop. Before the start of this week’s tournament, Goffin had won only 7 career Tour-level doubles matches. He’s now 11-and-20. ** After his Round-1 loss to Richardis Berankis, David was thankful he hitched his horse to the Herbert stagecoach, giving him more competitive match-time during the first week of the season.
** David’s doubles victories now include 5-wins with Herbert, 3 with Grigor Dimitrov, 1 win Joao Sousa, and 2 match victories with Dominic Thiem.
Meanwhile, Herbert played out of his mind in Doha. In singles, he upset World #8 Dominic Thiem in the opening round, then defeated qualifier Max Marterer in a deciding-set tiebreak to reach the Quarters. Though he fell to Tomas Berdych, the Frenchman is unquestionably thrilled to score 6 match victories during week-1 of the new season – especially with wins over names like Thiem, Wawrinka, Khachanov, Peya, Mektic and World #1 Novak Djokovic.
Another first-week Final between Herbert, Haase and Middelkoop
This was the first meeting between these two teams. However, during week-one of the season last year, 3 of these Finalists contested the championship match in Pune, India — where Robin Haase and Matwe Middelkoop earned their first title together over Pierre-Hugues Herbert, who was teamed with Gilles Simon.
Day-5. Updated Singles Draw
[/alert]Day-5. Completed Doubles Draw
[/alert]Herbert and Goffin | Championship Announcer Introductions
In just their second event together, this tandem is through to their first championship match as a team. At the 2017 ATP-500 tournament in Barcelona, they defeated doubles veterans Ivan Dodig and Marcel Granollers to reach the Quarterfinals. This week in Doha, they defeated Stan Wawrinka and Karen Khachanov, the #3-seeds Alexander Peya and Nikola Mektic, and last night – saved 3 match points to take-out Novak and Marko Djokovic 15-13 in a match tiebreak.
David Goffin -354- (BEL)
Competing in his first-ever ATP Tour Doubles Final – Please welcome, 2-time Davis Cup Finalist and the first Belgian in the history of the ATP Tour to crack the top-10, David Goffin.
Pierre-Hugues Herbert -12- (FRA)
His partner is a 3-time Grand Slam Doubles Champion, a Davis Cup Champion, owns 13 ATP Doubles titles, and is competing in his 21st career Doubles Final. From France, please welcome the #12 Player in the World, Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] FF def Robin Haase -50- (NED) | Matwe Middelkoop -36- (NED) 57 64 [10-4] [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] SF def Marko Djokovic -607- (SRB) | Novak Djokovic -268- (SRB) 61 36 15-13 [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] QF def [3] Alexander Peya -17- (AUT) | Nikola Mektic -13- (CRO) 62 36 10-3 [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R1 def Stan Wawrika -000- (SUI) | Karen Khachanov -112- (RUS) 75 63Haase and Middelkoop | Championship Announcer Introductions
Undefeated in ATP Tour Level Finals, these Davis Cup Teammates first joined forces in 2016, and earned their first three titles together last year alone. This week in Doha, they upset the #4-seeds Franko Skugor and Dominic Inglot in the opening round, earning the win 10-7 in a match tiebreak. They went on to defeat Nicolas Jarry and Maximo Gonzalez, then Santiago Gonzalez and Aisam Qureshi to reach their 4th career championship match as team.
Robin Haase -50- (NED)
An Australian Open Doubles Finalist in 2013, he owns 5 ATP Doubles titles and is competing in his 13th career Doubles Final. From the Netherlands, please welcome Robin Haase.
Matwe Middelkoop -36- (NED)
His partner has won 7 ATP Doubles titles, is competing in his 14th Doubles Final – and in 2015, defeated Roger Federer in the Davis Cup World Group Playoffs ***, teaming with Thiemo De Bakker to take-down the GOAT and Marco Chiudinelli in a 5-set thriller. Also from the Netherlands, please welcome Matwe Middelkoop.
[vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] FF loss David Goffin -354- (BEL) | Pierre-Hugues Herbert -12- (FRA) 75 46 [4-10] [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] SF def Santiago Gonzalez -53- (MEX) | Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi -47- (PAK) 64 61 [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] QF def Nicolas Jarry -50- (CHI) | Maximo Gonzalez -43- (ARG) 62 64 [vector_icon icon=”fas fa-chevron-up”] R1 def [4] Franko Skugor -28- (CRO) | Dominic Inglot -20- (GBR) 36 63 10-7*** Matwe’s Davis Cup win over Federer was epic. He and Thiemo were down 1-2, after capturing the first set in a tiebreak. They won the final two sets to earn the victory 76(7) 46 46 64 61. Though the Netherlands lost the Playoff Tie, it’s certainly a Davis Cup match Matwe will never forget.
