2020 US Open: Croatian guaranteed to win men’s doubles title

by croatiaweek
September 9, 2020
in Sport

NEW YORK, 9 September 2020 – One thing is certain, there will be a Croatian US Open winner this year in the men’s doubles.

31-year-old Nikola Mektić has reached the final of the men’s doubles with his Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof after they beat Joe Salisbury from the UK and Rajeev Ram from the United States, 7-6, 6-4.

In the final, Mektić will face another Croatian, his Davis Cup teammate Mate Pavić.

Pavić reached the final with Brazil’s Bruno Soares after Horia Tecau from Romania and Jean-Julien Rojer from the Netherlands, 6-4, 7-5 in the second semifinal at Flushing Meadows.

For Mektić, this is the time in the men’s doubles final at a Grand Slam, His best result so far was the semifinals of Roland Garros in 2018 when he played with the Austrian Alexander Peya. He won the 2020 Australian Open and reached the final of the 2018 US Open in mixed doubles.

Nikola Mektić with Roger Federer (Instagram)

Pavić won the 2018 Australian Open men’s doubles title and also reached the 2017 Wimbledon Championships men’s doubles finals, and the 2018 French Open men’s doubles finals, all partnering Oliver Marach. He also won mixed doubles titles at the 2016 US Open in partnership with Laura Siegemund and at the 2018 Australian Open with Gabriela Dabrowski. Together with Dabrowski, Pavić also made it to the 2018 French Open and 2019 French Open mixed doubles finals.