Doubles Take: Previewing the ATP Finals

Dominant starts, surprises at the Slams, new-duo breakthroughs and consistent performances: All that and more made for some intriguing storylines in doubles this year on the men’s side. Now, the top eight pairings are set to square off at the ATP Finals. Here’s a look at the teams that will be in action at the O2 Arena.

1. Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic

After making moves up the rankings in 2017, the Austrian-Croatian duo got off to a perfect start in 2018: They won three titles in January, becoming the first duo this millennium to do so. That run included their first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open.

2. Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah

“Colombian Power” also experienced a great start to the year, finishing as the runner-ups in Melbourne. Over the clay-court season, the veterans captured their first Masters title in Rome.

3. Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo

The 2017 Wimbledon champions got off to a strong start this year by winning the title in Sydney, but were then out of the winners’ circle for six months. Since the US Open, though, they’ve been on a tear, advancing to the final in New York and winning two titles in China.

4. Bruno Soares and Jamie Murray

Since teaming up in 2016, Soares and Murray have been a threat at any tournament they enter. The two-time Grand Slam champions won their first Masters event in Cincinnati, their second hard-court title of the summer after Washington.

5. Mike Bryan and Jack Sock

Early on in the year, Bob and Mike Bryan—arguably the greatest doubles team in history—turned back the clock with a run of four straight Masters finals. When Bob went down with a hip injury, Mike teamed up with Sock at Wimbledon and the US Open, and the Americans gelled perfectly, winning both majors.

6. Raven Klaasen and Michael Venus

Both of them have had success at the year-end event—though not with each other. After teaming up this year, the duo posted consistent results all year, with their biggest moment coming at Wimbledon, where they lost an epic to Bryan and Sock in the final.

7. Nikola Mektic and Alexander Peya

At their best on clay, Mektic and Peya took the title at the Madrid Masters and also reached the semifinals of the French Open. Playing four finals on clay during the spring and early summer, they showed their versatility early on by advancing to the championship match indoors in Bulgaria.

8. Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut

Winners of Wimbledon and the US Open over the course of their partnership, the duo finally captured the Slam that means the most to any French player, as they delighted the home crowd by triumphing at Roland Garros.

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