The dream run of the all-Indian pair of N. Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan didn’t have a fairytale ending on the Tata Open Maharashtra because it went down 4-6, 4-6 to fourth-seeded Belgians, Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, within the males’s doubles last on the Balewadi Stadium on Saturday.
Balaji and Jeevan, who obtained into the draw as alternates after the Slovak-Serbian duo of Alex Molcan and Laslo Djere pulled out, conceded break of serves within the third sport of each units which ultimately value them of their maiden tour-level last as a pair.
In the primary set, Gille countered Jeevan’s serve, extensive into the advert courtroom, with a down-the-line backhand return winner to earn the primary break level at 40-all. Vliegen duly transformed the possibility with a forehand move within the following rally.
Balaji and Jeevan, World No. 114 and 113 respectively, got here near breaking again once they made it 30-all on Vliegen’s serve within the tenth sport. However, the 6’3” left-handed Belgian received the subsequent two factors, the second with serve and volley, to seal the opening set in 33 minutes.
The Belgian pair, who knocked out prime seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury within the semifinals on Friday, attacked Balaji’s serve within the second set and went 40-15 up within the third sport after Vliegen hit two forehand winners, one bisecting the Indians whereas the opposite being an inside-out one to seek out the vacant left nook.
The 32-year-old Balaji saved two break factors together with his dependable serve however within the deciding level, the Belgians closed the online rapidly and drew an error from his older companion.
The Belgians didn’t let the 1000-odd partisan spectators have an effect on them and efficiently served it out for his or her sixth title on the ATP Tour. “The main part is just to stay focused on what we’re doing and for some reason, it works very well for us, we kind of like soaking it in and me, personally, I prefer playing with the crowd against me than play without a crowd. So, it’s just a nicer feeling. You feel like (being at) a big stage and it just it brings the best out of you. It’s better to embrace it and just stay focused at the same time, “ said Gille in the post-match press conference.
Balaji and Jeevan earned 150 points each which brought them to the cusp of breaking into the top 100 of the ATP Doubles Rankings.
“Our short term goal is to play the French Open. We are looking forward to making the cut for it. We had a target of making so many points in a certain number of weeks and this gives us a very good start,” mentioned Balaji.
They opened their marketing campaign with a 6-4, 6-3 win over compatriots and wildcards Purav Raja and Divij Sharan earlier than beating second-seeded American duo Nathaniel Lammons-Jackson Withrow 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) within the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, the native pair received 6-4, 7-5 towards the British duo of Julian Cash and Henry Patten.