2025 ATP Doubles

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Started as a pickem, but Odds have shifted significantly toward Ebden/Vliegen over Kracijek/Ram (as the sharps jump in?).
The Americans showed who’s boss. #9 seeded new pair ushered out the door.

One thing I just realized. Being a lefty is less of an advantage down under compared to the other 3 slams because the afternoon sun is ok for righties both ends in the southern hemisphere.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
My bold upset pick of R32:

Goransson/Verbeek +150 over Salisbury/Skupski -200.

Both Salisbury and Skupski have been ranked World #1 within the past 2 years.
 

ey039524

Hall of Fame
The Americans showed who’s boss. #9 seeded new pair ushered out the door.

One thing I just realized. Being a lefty is less of an advantage down under compared to the other 3 slams because the afternoon sun is ok for righties both ends in the southern hemisphere.
I watched the match, and in all fairness, ebden was injured and could barely move. Vliegen, who I really like, blew 3 overheads in the first set, the first of which caused the first break.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
I watched the match, and in all fairness, ebden was injured and could barely move. Vliegen, who I really like, blew 3 overheads in the first set, the first of which caused the first break.
The Belgian break-up hasn’t worked out thus far for either guy.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
The Belgian break-up hasn’t worked out thus far for either guy.
I didn’t realize Gille was still alive in the draw.

I watched the end of his mixed match, where he was outclassed by Heliovaara. But that was partly because mixed highlights heliovaara’s strengths and exposes Gille’s weaknesses.

Gille/Zielinsky got a favorable draw, and they are one of the teams good enough to potentially upset Krawietz/Puetz in their quarter.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Leading 6-2, 2-3 in R32 match vs Aussie NextGen wildcards Schoolkate/Walton, Kracijek calls for trainer. Goes off court for treatment.

Lower back issue apparently…
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
A big pile of doubles matches happening over the next several hours to weed out the pretenders and fill out the field for the sweet sixteen.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Half of the seeded teams gone and we’re not even done with R2:

#2 Granollers/Zeballos
#5 Mektic/Venus
#7 Lammons/Withrow
#8 Gonzalez/Molteni
#9 Ebden/Vliegen
#10 Salisbury/Skupski
#12 Murray/Peers
#14 Barrientos/Bopanna
 

ey039524

Hall of Fame
I just saw that Townsend and NYS w/drew from their mixed. Both are playing in their same gender matches later. Hopefully, they get through; otherwise, this may have been a bad decision.

Bummer to hear that Kracijek is having back problems now. Maybe he was walking funny from his ankle injury.

Trav, I assume you'll be rooting for H&P when they meet ram/Kracijek. Should be a good match.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
I just saw that Townsend and NYS w/drew from their mixed. Both are playing in their same gender matches later. Hopefully, they get through; otherwise, this may have been a bad decision.

Bummer to hear that Kracijek is having back problems now. Maybe he was walking funny from his ankle injury.

Trav, I assume you'll be rooting for H&P when they meet ram/Kracijek. Should be a good match.
I stayed up too late watching mixed matches, but it was kind of fun.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
With all the carnage of so many seeds losing early, #1 Arévalo/Pavic, #3 Bolelli/Vavassori, and #4 Krawietz/Puetz have picked up where they left off last season, looking strong.

Krajicek/Ram have played excellently in this tourney (despite Kracijek’s questionable durability), and it took a freak series of unfortunate events over the past year for these guys to come in unseeded. Will be a tough out.
 

AM75

Hall of Fame
What was it at the match point in a match between Doumbia/Reboul and Arevalo/Pavic? Everybody commentators included heard that the umpire called "touch" (because it really looked like the ball touched Pavic), but the umpire didn't stop the point, Pavic/Arevalo continued to play, won the point and the match. Ridiculous.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
What was it at the match point in a match between Doumbia/Reboul and Arevalo/Pavic? Everybody commentators included heard that the umpire called "touch" (because it really looked like the ball touched Pavic), but the umpire didn't stop the point, Pavic/Arevalo continued to play, won the point and the match. Ridiculous.
I just watched it. Not sure what the touch call was.

Both Dhoumbia and Reboul totally botched overhead opportunities on the point so not much sympathy.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
AO +/- per match leaders by team:

updated 19-Jun-2025

1. Bolelli/Vavassori +13.7
2. Puetz/Krawietz +12.5
2. Gille/Zielinski +12.5
2. Behar/Galloway +12.5
5. Goransson/Verbeek +12.0
6. Pavic/Arévalo +10.0
7. Heliovaara/Patten +9.5
7. Ram/Kracijek +9.5
9. Machac/Zheng +7.5
10. Borges/Cabral +5.7
11. Cash/Glasspool +3.0
12. Nys/Roger-Vasselin +1.0
 

ey039524

Hall of Fame
What was it at the match point in a match between Doumbia/Reboul and Arevalo/Pavic? Everybody commentators included heard that the umpire called "touch" (because it really looked like the ball touched Pavic), but the umpire didn't stop the point, Pavic/Arevalo continued to play, won the point and the match. Ridiculous.
I watched it on the replay. Ump called touch, but I isn't think the players heard or cared to stop. The French never flinched or complained. Credit to their integrity.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
AO +/- per match leaders by team:

updated going into QF:

1. Bolelli/Vavassori +13.7
2. Goransson/Verbeek +12.0
3. Pavic/Arévalo +10.0
3. Heliovaara/Patten +10.0
5. Cash/Glasspool +7.7
6. Puetz/Krawietz +6.3
7. Borges/Cabral +5.7
8. Nys/Roger-Vasselin +0.7
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Dominance Level Leaderboard ( return points won / serve points lost ), for teams in QF:

1. Bolelli/Vavassori 2.05
2. Heliovaara/Patten 1.86
3. Goransson/Verbeek 1.84
4. Pavic/Arévalo 1.64
5. Cash/Glasspool 1.34
6. Puetz/Krawietz 1.28
7. Borges/Cabral 1.26
8. Nys/Roger-Vasselin 1.02
 
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travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
what your predictions in mixed?
I like my client’s chances in the top half.

Routliffe/Venus still probably overall favorite, as it’s an big advantage to have a 6-footer with spider arms serving 110mph when it’s the lady’s turn to serve.

Errani’s powder puff delivery was a liability that cost her.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
The temperatures are about to drop tomorrow.

Last several days it’s been highs well over 30C (or mid to high 80s, even 90F).

Tomorrow the high will drop to about 21C or about 70F.

How will the teams adapt? The change in conditions will impact outcomes.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Today will still be in the heat, with the top half of the men’s QF matchups on the docket.

The Portuguese team of Borges/Cabral has been overperforming in the conditions all week. Do they have one last upset in them against the rock solid Adelaide champs #3 Bolelli/Vavassori?

And Goransson/Verbeek have been hot. They have broken opponents’ serve 9x and never been broken yet in the tourney. Do they have enough level to upset the mighty duo of #1 Arévalo/Pavic?

Both teams are heavy underdogs in the odds.
I give Goransson/Verbeek a 40% shot here, which is a lot better chance than Vegas says.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Down goes the #1 seed!

The Swedish-Dutch tandem Goransson/Verbeek pulled off the old switcheroo to start the 3rd set.

Verbeek had struggled in ad court the first 2 sets. But the switch to ad manufactured a break of the Pavic serve to open the decider.

They only won 24 return points to 34 for the #1 seeds, but stole the match.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Mixed Doubles stats:

Dominance Level ( return points won / serve points lost ) for the 4 semifinalists:

1. Patten/Nichols 1.86
2. Venus/Ratliffe 1.39
3. Smith/Birrell 1.15
4. Peers/Gadecki 1.15
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Tonight will be “triple-double” viewing night for the travlerajm household. Planning to watch it on my dad’s 70” big screen.

Men’s QF3, Men’s QF4, and Mixed SF1. Back to back to back.

Let’s go!
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
I find it interesting how some players who are good at men’s doubles are terrible at mixed. And vice versa.

Withrow looked out of sorts and confused about how to assert himself on a mixed court. Heliovaara is the opposite; he understands how to position himself to take over the court.

Krawietz looked slow and awkward in mixed. He’s much better in men’s, where his slower movement doesn’t get exposed.
 

ey039524

Hall of Fame
I find it interesting how some players who are good at men’s doubles are terrible at mixed. And vice versa.

Withrow looked out of sorts and confused about how to assert himself on a mixed court. Heliovaara is the opposite; he understands how to position himself to take over the court.

Krawietz looked slow and awkward in mixed. He’s much better in men’s, where his slower movement doesn’t get exposed.
Agreed. The men have to take over. I noticed that birrel was actually the one who looked like was carrying Smith (in the match TB).

I saw heliovaara throw his racquet after his partner missed the return on the final point. I don't think that's a good look.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Agreed. The men have to take over. I noticed that birrel was actually the one who looked like was carrying Smith (in the match TB).

I saw heliovaara throw his racquet after his partner missed the return on the final point. I don't think that's a good look.
He’s a very emotional guy. Usually very positive. But sometimes lets his frustrations show.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Aussie wildcards Gadecki/Peers outplay #2 seed Ratliffe/Venus to advance to the mixed final.

This match was a perfect example of why it’s advantageous for the guy to have fh in the middle to make overheads easier.

One team had it. One team didn’t.

Ex World #2 Peers is an accomplished mixer, having won the US Open mixed title. He also has an AO men’s title on his resume.

And the dude is still in great shape. Can’t say the same about some of the other guys in the draw.
 

ey039524

Hall of Fame
Aussie wildcards Gadecki/Peers outplay #2 seed Ratliffe/Venus to advance to the mixed final.

This match was a perfect example of why it’s advantageous for the guy to have fh in the middle to make overheads easier.

One team had it. One team didn’t.

Ex World #2 Peers is an accomplished mixer, having won the US Open mixed title. He also has an AO men’s title on his resume.

And the dude is still in great shape. Can’t say the same about some of the other guys in the draw.
I saw peers play mixed at last year's AO and thought that he's a monster at net. Great example of how to attack and be aggressive. I thought he was former #1 w Henri kontinnen.

Good point about FH in the middle for overheads. I know for s&v it makes a big difference when the returner lobs over the net player, the server can call switch and hit an overhead (vs a high backhand or backhand overhead, assuming your bh oh isn't like Fed's or nadal's).
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Congrats to Auusie wildcards JP Smith and Kim Birrell, who played lights out in the semi to advance to the final.

JP is mostly a lifelong challenger journeyman, but he’s into his second career mixed slam final.

The man understands mixed doubles.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
#3 seed Adelaide champs Bolelli/Vavassori had a slow start in the semi, with Vavassori dropping serve twice in the first set. But they steadied the ship and servebotted their way home past the unseeded challengers to reach their second consecutive AO final.

#6 seed Heliovaara/Patten survived an epic semi against the #4 seed defending ATP Finals Champs Krawietz/Puetz. They faced 4 break points and 0-40 deficit early in the 3rd set on Heliovaara’s serve (losing any of them would have virtually sealed the serve-duel match for the German pair), but they extended it to the match tiebreak, where they have been tough to kill in slams.

The come-from-behind scoreline trend down the stretch, as well as the momentum-turning point at 4-6 in the match tb featuring Patten’s signature inside-out fh, was eerily reminiscent of the crowd-raising highlight reel 4-4 point from the Wimbledon final, giving H/P a sense of de ja vu.

The Italians open as slight favorites in the odds for the final.
 
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travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Shnaider/Andreeva were fun to watch at the Olympics, kind of rooting for them.
They have been the best team statistically when taking total return points won divided by serve points lost over the first 4 rounds.

They are at 1.60.
Townsend/Siniakova at 1.48.
Other two teams much closer to 1.

So S/A the likeliest team to pull off the upset.
 

Cashman

Hall of Fame
I find the doubles tour so depressing these days. It's a game I loved growing up, but I can barely bear to watch it at this tournament.

The downward slide started with the Bryan Brothers, but since they ripped the heart out of Davis Cup there is virtually no incentive for halfway decent singles players to prioritise the game.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
I find the doubles tour so depressing these days. It's a game I loved growing up, but I can barely bear to watch it at this tournament.

The downward slide started with the Bryan Brothers, but since they ripped the heart out of Davis Cup there is virtually no incentive for halfway decent singles players to prioritise the game.
One man's depression is another's opportunity.

The K/P vs. H/P semi was easily the highest level match of the tourney.
 

Moose Malloy

G.O.A.T.
I find the doubles tour so depressing these days. It's a game I loved growing up, but I can barely bear to watch it at this tournament.

The downward slide started with the Bryan Brothers, but since they ripped the heart out of Davis Cup there is virtually no incentive for halfway decent singles players to prioritise the game.
Shelton is playing dubs with Michelsen at IW, that could be fun.
 

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
The style of play of ATP doubles has definitely evolved.

Modern singles players have evolved in a direction that does not support strong doubles play, and modern doubles players have evolved in a direction that makes them worse at singles. Polarization of skillsets.
 

Cashman

Hall of Fame
Evolved or devolved?

I feel like no-ad scoring and match tiebreaks have been really detrimental to the ATP doubles tour in terms of the skills/tactics it encourages and the randomness it introduces.

The massive decrease in doubles prizemoney relative to singles prizemoney doesn't help either.
 
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