Knowles-Nestor, Huss-Moodie Secure Spots
2005 Wimbledon champions Huss & Moodie Two-time year-end World No. 1 team Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor
and 2005 Wimbledon champions Stephen Huss and Wesley Moodie have
clinched berths at Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai. The latest qualifications
leave just three remaining doubles spots at the circuit finale
as teams chase valuable ATP Doubles Race points at Masters Series
Madrid this week.
Knowles and Nestor ensured they would play in Shanghai after
turning in a title-winning performance last week in Vienna. Their
third title of the season guaranteed that the fourth-ranked duo
would finish the year in the Top 7.
This marks the third consecutive year that Knowles and Nestor,
last year’s World No. 1 team, have qualified for the Tennis
Masters Cup. In both 2003 and 2004, the team reached the semifinals
in Houston.
Huss and Moodie secured a spot in the elite eight-team field
by virtue of their title win at Wimbledon. The top seven teams
in the INDESIT ATP 2005 Doubles Race at the conclusion of the
regular 2005 ATP circuit qualify, with one spot reserved for a
Grand Slam champion finishing within the top 20.
This will be Huss and Moodie’s first appearance at the Tennis
Masters Cup. They currently sit 14th in the ATP Doubles Race but
are certain to finish within the Top 20. Huss and Moodie made
history at Wimbledon this year as the first qualifying team to
win the men’s doubles crown.
The teams join American twins Bob & Mike Bryan, first-year
partners Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi and Zimbabweans Wayne Black
and Kevin Ullyett as the five teams to qualify for the circuit
finale to take place at the spectacular new Qi Zhong Stadium November
13-20.
With just five ATP tournaments left before the Tennis Masters
Cup Shanghai, the battle for the final three spots will be intense.
Among those in contention include Wayne Arthurs-Paul Hanley (5th),
Leander Paes-Nenad Zimonjic (6th), Simon Aspelin-Todd Perry (7th),
Jonathan Erlich-Andy Ram (8th), Michael Llodra-Fabrice Santoro
(9th) and Frantisek Cermak-Leos Friedl (10th).
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