Players

Knowles Notches 50th Title With Bhupathi In Basel

Mark Knowles became the 21st player in ATP history (since 1973) to capture 50 career doubles titles after partnering Indian Mahesh Bhupathi to the Davidoff Swiss Indoors champion Sunday with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Germans Christopher Kas and Philipp Kohlschreiber. The final lasted 61 minutes.

The 36-year-old Knowles improved to 50-38 in ATP finals with his third Basel title. He partnered Daniel Nestor to the 2003 (d. Arnold Ker-Hood) and 2006 (d. Fyrstenberg-Matkowski) trophies. The pair also finished runner-up in 2002 (l. to Bryan-Bryan) and last year Knowles partnered James Blake to the final (l. to Bryan-Bryan).

“I’m elated,” said Knowles. “It’s a big number and I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t been thinking about it, as I’ve lost in a couple of finals lately. I’m really happy to win my 50th title and get past the milestone.

"I thought we served really well and made some good returns on the big points. It was pretty close as I think all teams served fairly well. I’ve got some great memories [in Basel]. I have had some great partners over the years and the organizers do a great job.

"I’m also happy because it’s the first tournament I have won since my wife gave birth to our second son Brody.”

Bhupathi, who reached the 2001 final with compatriot Leander Paes (l. to E. Ferreira-Leach), and Knowles have amassed a 36-16 season record. The 34-year-old Bhupathi improved to 44-30 lifetime in ATP finals.

It was the pair’s first ATP crown since clinching back-to-back silverware at Memphis (d. Ratiwatana-Ratiwatana) and Dubai (d. Damm-Vizner). Last week the pair finished runners up at ATP Masters Series Madrid (l. to Fyrstenberg-Matkowski). They have a 3-6 record in ATP finals this year.

“We really wanted to win this one,” said Bhupathi. “Knowles has been on 49 titles for a few finals now so it was great to help him get that monkey off his back. I’m glad we were able to do it as we have been playing well all week. We have two big tournaments at Paris and Shanghai left, so hopefully we’ll continue the form right through to the end of the year.”

The Bahamian-Indian team has already qualified for Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai and is currently No. 3 in the Stanford ATP Doubles Race.

Kas and Kohlschreiber, who saved two match points in their semifinal win over Argentines David Nalbandian and Eduardo Schwank on Saturday, captured their maiden team title at Stuttgart (d. Berrer-Zverev) in July and dropped a 6-2 season record. Kohlschreiber is 5-2 in ATP doubles finals.

Bhupathi and Knowles split €46,500 in prize money, while Kas and Kohlschreiber divide €27,300.

LLODRA-RAM SECURE FIRST TEAM CROWN IN LYON

Second seeds Michael Llodra of France and Israeli Andy Ram (pictured left), playing together for the first time this week, captured the Grand Prix de Tennis de Lyon title on Sunday after beating Australian Stephen Huss and Ross Hutchins of Great Britain 6-3, 5-7, 10-8 (Match TB) in 80 minutes.

Photo credit: Sportissimo

Llodra won his second Lyon title, after partnering compatriot Fabrice Santoro to the title in 2005 (d. Coetzee-Wassen) and Ram notched his third success at the indoor event following back-to-back triumphs with regular partner Jonathan Erlich in 2003 (d. Benneteau-Mahut) and 2004 (d. Bjorkman-Stepanek).

Llodra and Ram struck five aces and broke in the first game of the 24-minute first set before Huss and Hutchins took the final to a Match Tie-break after breaking serve on their second break point in the 12th game of the second set. Llodra and Ram, who won 50 of 66 service total points, secured the title on their third match point.

The 28-year-old Llodra improved to a 29-14 season record, highlighted by titles in Las Vegas (w/Benneteau) and Metz (w/Clement). He also reached the Australian Open final with Clement. He is 16-14 in ATP career doubles finals.

“I'm very happy to win this title together with Andy,” said Llodra. “Winning with him in Lyon makes it even more special since this place means a lot to me. I usually play with French partners, most of the time with Arnaud Clement and I'm happy that I won this title together with my friend Andy.

"It was a tough and very close match today. Ross and Stephen played very well all week and I'm glad we made it in the end."

Ram, also 28, improved to 4-1 in ATP finals this year and 15-12 lifetime. With Erlich, he captured his maiden Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open in January and secured the ATP Masters Series Indian Wells crown (d. Nestor-Zimonjic) in March. Two weeks ago, he won the Vienna trophy (w/Mirnyi).

"Last time I played with Mica [Llodra] was ten years ago in the Wimbledon juniors final,” said Ram. “It feels great to win this title together with him here in Lyon. He's one of my best friends on tour and we had great fun here this week. It is already my third title in Lyon. It's always a pleasure to play here."

Huss and Hutchins, who were appearing in their third ATP team final this season, won the Beijing title last month and reached the Moscow final two weeks ago.

PARROTT-POLASEK WIN ST. PETERSBURG TITLE

American Travis Parrott and Filip Polasek of the Slovak Republic (pictured left) earned a hard-fought 3-6, 7-6(4) 10-8 (Match TB) win over first-time pairing Indian Rohan Bopanna and Max Mirnyi of Belarus at the St. Petersburg Open on Sunday. The final lasted one hour and 37 minutes. Parrott and Polasek reached the Valencia final (l. to M. Gonzalez/Monaco) in April.

Photo credits: spbopen.com

The 28-year-old Parrott has a 17-12 season record, which also includes a runner-up finish with Dusan Vemic in Los Angeles (l. to Bopanna-Butorac). The Portland, Oregon native improved to 3-4 in ATP finals. The World No. 71 had previously captured titles at 2003 Los Angeles (w/Gambill) and 2007 Indianapolis (w/del Potro).

“For the first set and a half we were completely outplayed,” said Parrott. “At 4-3 down in the second set Bopanna double faulted at 40-40 and after that the momentum shifted our way.

“We are really happy to have won our first ATP title as a team. We started playing together in February. It is fun to have worked our way up from the Challenger circuit and get the chance to win an ATP title.”

The 23-year-old Polasek captured his maiden ATP trophy at Gstaad with Jaroslav Levinsky in July (d. Bohli-Wawrinka) and improved to 23-16 on the season. Polasek started the week at No. 49 in the Stanford ATP Doubles Rankings.

“It was my first time in Russia,” said Polasek. “It feels great to win an ATP title with Travis in the last tournament of the year. We will keep playing together next year starting in Australia.”

World No. 32 Mirnyi, aged 31, dropped to 23-19 on the season, highlighted by two ATP titles at Delray Beach (w/J. Murray) and Vienna (w/A. Ram). He is 35-26 in career ATP finals.

Bopanna, who won his first ATP title with Eric Butorac in Los Angeles in August this year, also finished runner-up in Newport (w/Qureshi). The 28-year-old Bangalore native dropped to 16-17 on the season and 1-5 in ATP finals.

Saturday: Knowles Eyes 50th Career Trophy With Bhupathi
Friday: Knowles & Bhupathi Advance To Basel Semifinals
Thursday: Upsets Abound In St. Petersburg, Basel & Lyon
Wednesday: Top Seeds Win In Lyon; Argentines Cause Basel Upset
Tuesday: Top Seeds Nestor-Zimonjic Lose In Basel
Monday: French Duo Cruises Past Americans In Lyon

ATP Tournament Profile: Basel | Lyon | St. Petersburg

LAST WEEK'S FINAL REPORT
Matkowski-Fyrstenberg Capture Madrid Title