Knowles & Nestor Qualify Despite Tough Loss
© Getty Images Playing their last tournament together, Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor secured their place in the Tennis Masters Cup semifinals despite losing 6-3, 4-6, 11-9 (Match Tie-Break) against Czech duo Lukas Dlouhy and Pavel Vizner on Friday. Knowles and Nestor held one match point at 9-8 in the match tie-break but Dlouhy iced their hopes for a perfect 3-0 sweep of the round-robin stage with a big ace down the middle past a diving Knowles.
Two points later the match was over. On his team's first match point, Dlouhy lobbed over Nestor's head. Incoming server Knowles retreated to scramble the ball back, but Dlouhy hit a winning backhand drop volley cross court to seal the victory.
Both teams finished with a 2-1 win-loss record but Knowles and Nestor advanced because their sets win-loss record for the round-robin stage was 5-3 as opposed to the Czech's 4-4 record. Winning the second set was crucial for Knowles and Nestor, who gave back a break at 5-4 but broke straight back to clinch the set.
US Open champions Aspelin & Knowle defeated Wimbledon champions Clement & Llodra 7-6(3), 7-6(5) to book their place in the semifinals.
In a dramatic second set Clement stared down two match points on his serve at 5-6, the first with a gutsy second serve wide to Aspelin's backhand that returned a comfortable putaway volley, and the second with a clutch low volley from a probing Knowle return.
Aspelin and Knowle also let slip an additional two match points on Llodra's serve in the tie-break, before closing out the match on their fifth match point when the left-handed Knowle angled a serve in the body of Clement, who was unable to return it.
Aspelin and Knowle are searching for their first title since their Grand Slam breakthrough at Flushing Meadows.
Day 5 Doubles: Bjorkman & Mirnyi Bow Out With Pride
Day 4 Doubles: Czechs Keep Semifinal Hopes Alive
Day 3 Doubles: Defending Champs Slip to 0-2
Day 2 Doubles: Knowles & Nestor Save 2 Match Points
Day 1 Doubles: Erlich & Ram Save Match Point
|
