Doubles partner changes

[ey039524]

To you doubles fans, it looks like former #1s Mektic and Pavic have split. Pavic is playing w Dodig in Hamburg, while Mektic is playing with someone else. Doubtful that Dodig will ditch Krajicek for the year, considering their current success.

A few of the top teams the last couple of years are struggling to find results, ram and Salisbury, for example.

Could we see some mid year shake ups in order to qualify for Atp finals?

 

[Aussie Darcy]

It may be just a one off. Happens quite a lot. The very successful pairing of Krejcikova/Siniakova on the women's side (7 slams together) every so often play a tournament each with different partners but then always return together at the big tournaments and slams.

Would be very surprised if they split with the Olympics in just under 12 months.

 

[ey039524]

It may be just a one off. Happens quite a lot. The very successful pairing of Krejcikova/Siniakova on the women's side (7 slams together) every so often play a tournament each with different partners but then always return together at the big tournaments and slams.

Would be very surprised if they split with the Olympics in just under 12 months.

Good point. Dodig happens to be from Croatia, though.

 

[Aussie Darcy]

Good point. Dodig happens to be from Croatia, though.

Didn't realize how bad their year was. Had a look and saw they had won Eastbourne and Stuttgart in June (only 250 titles but still, 2 titles in one month isn't bad) so I figured it wasn't so awful. Then checked the Race to the WTF rankings and they're 16th! Maybe they will have a split. Still, a couple good results here and there and they can still make the WTF.

 

[ey039524]

I just checked: Ram and Salisbury are 19th!
Teams will have to finish top 7 bc kubler/hijikata are going to suck up a spot, like kyrgios/kokkinakis last year.

I'd like to see the atp get rid of the rule to automatically place them in the finals for winning the Aus open. They're going to get smoked indoors. The only reason why they were able to win was bc the surface is so slow there, it favored the returner.

IMO, if you play two back on anything other than a big server's first, you don't belong.

 

[ey039524]

Didn't realize how bad their year was. Had a look and saw they had won Eastbourne and Stuttgart in June (only 250 titles but still, 2 titles in one month isn't bad) so I figured it wasn't so awful. Then checked the Race to the WTF rankings and they're 16th! Maybe they will have a split. Still, a couple good results here and there and they can still make the WTF.

I think it's clear now: in DC, pavic is now playing w Krajicek, and Mektic is playing w Haase again. Ram and Salisbury are the number one seeds.

 

[ey039524]

Ram and Salisbury lose another first match. Are they done?

Ben McLachlan and andre goransson (sp?) Look done. Andre is still going deep w a new partner in los Cabos.

 

[ey039524]

Lots of changes for 2024:
Koolhof/skupski?! I don't get this. They win a slam and had a good year.

Rojer/arevalo

Gonzalez/roger-vasselin

Patten/Cash

Heliovaara/Glasspool

Nys/zielinski?

I would've guessed that ram/Salisbury were done, but then they finished on a 20 or so match win streak.

 

[travlerajm]

Cash playing deuce, his more comfortable natural side for his return skillset.

 

[ey039524]

Cash playing deuce, his more comfortable natural side for his return skillset.

Is he lefty?

 

[travlerajm]

Is he lefty?

Righty with confident return on forehand wing, often chips bh lob. More confident taking 2hb inside-out than going cross. Played primarily deuce all his life.

 

[ey039524]

Some new teams for '24 (based on the upcoming warm ups):
Koolhof/Mektic
Skupski/S. Gonzalez
Arevalo/Pavic
Mahut/Roger-vasselin
Rojer/Glasspool
Cabral/Patten

Staying together:
Nys/Zielinski
Dodig/Krajicek
Ram/Salisbury
Ebden/bopanna
Gille/vliegen
Granollers/zeballos
Murray/Venus
M. Gonzalez/molteini

 

[ey039524]

Bumping this thread in anticipation of the new pairings for next year. Interesting to see the change ups that happened throughout the year ('24). It's clear that many of the teams from the beginning of the year are not going to persist in '25. I expect a lot of shuffling, as there isn't a clear dominant team in the post-Bryan era.

 

[ey039524]

Brisbane
New pairings:
Mektic/Venus
Salisbury/Skupski
Murray/Peers
Kracijek/Ram
Barrientos/Gille

Same as '24:
Heliovaara/Patten
Lammons/Withrow
Cash/Glasspool

HongKong
New:
Pavlasek/Rojer
Mansouri/Vliegen
Gonzalez/Miedler

Same:
Doumbia/Reboul
Bhambri/Olivetti

Too bad that Gille/Vliegen are split since they are both Belgian. Not too surprising, given their results last year, though. The UK looks pretty decent for upcoming team events w/ Salisbury/Skupski and Cash/Glasspool becoming regular season partners.

 

[Sudacafan]

Some doubles players engage in open relationships, others don’t.

 

[travlerajm]

Brisbane
New pairings:
Mektic/Venus
Salisbury/Skupski
Murray/Peers
Kracijek/Ram
Barrientos/Gille

Same as '24:
Heliovaara/Patten
Lammons/Withrow
Cash/Glasspool

HongKong
New:
Pavlasek/Rojer
Mansouri/Vliegen
Gonzalez/Miedler

Same:
Doumbia/Reboul
Bhambri/Olivetti

Too bad that Gille/Vliegen are split since they are both Belgian. Not too surprising, given their results last year, though. The UK looks pretty decent for upcoming team events w/ Salisbury/Skupski and Cash/Glasspool becoming regular season partners.

I’m intrigued to see which of the Belgians ends up doing better post-split.

Gille/Barrientos feels like the pairing of two veteran players with cerebral game styles, while Vliegen/Mansouri two younger players with good size and physicality.

My bet is on Vliegen/Mansouri to better if they stick with these pairings, with the advantage of a lefty-righty combo making the difference.

Cash/Glasspool have only played a few tourneys together.

I’m cautiously optimistic that they can mesh together well and be the breakthrough team of 2025. Cash is currently third in the atp rankings among players his age or younger (behind Purcell and Zielinsky).

I’ve mentioned this before, but somehow I don’t foresee the Salisbury/Skupski pairing doing that well. Their skillsets don’t seem like the right fit. I’ll be surprised if it lasts through Wimbledon.

 

[travlerajm]

Also noticing Grigor is entered in Brisbane doubles, with Korda. Curious to see how this pair fares. Korda is decent doubles player.

 

[ey039524]

Also noticing Grigor is entered in Brisbane doubles, with Korda. Curious to see how this pair fares. Korda is decent doubles player.

I saw that, too. I've watched korda play dubs w another singles player before (sinner?), and I don't remember him being too active at the net, not like machac when he plays w Zheng.

I wonder why grigor is playing. Seems like he should be saving mileage on his body.

I’m intrigued to see which of the Belgians ends up doing better post-split.

Gille/Barrientos feels like the pairing of two veteran players with cerebral game styles, while Vliegen/Mansouri two younger players with good size and physicality.

My bet is on Vliegen/Mansouri to better if they stick with these pairings, with the advantage of a lefty-righty combo making the difference.

Cash/Glasspool have only played a few tourneys together.

I’m cautiously optimistic that they can mesh together well and be the breakthrough team of 2025. Cash is currently third in the atp rankings among players his age or younger (behind Purcell and Zielinsky).

I’ve mentioned this before, but somehow I don’t foresee the Salisbury/Skupski pairing doing that well. Their skillsets don’t seem like the right fit. I’ll be surprised if it lasts through Wimbledon.

I've always liked vliegen just bc he's a big lefty. Forgot about cash/glasspool being new, too. They had such a good run at the end of the year, it felt like they've been together longer.

Noticeably absent are the Aussies. I assume Purcell and Thompson are staying, but I wonder who ebden will play w. Are Bopanna and Dodig going to put the old guy team together?

 

[ey039524]

Just saw the entry list for AO:
To answer my own question, ebden is playing w Vliegen, and Bopanna is w barrientos.

New teams:
NYS/roger-vasselin
Gille/Zielinski
Dodig/mansouri
Santi Gonzalez/miedler
Rojer/pavlasek

 

[RSJfan]

Just saw the entry list for AO:
To answer my own question, ebden is playing w Vliegen, and Bopanna is w barrientos.

New teams:
NYS/roger-vasselin
Gille/Zielinski
Dodig/mansouri
Santi Gonzalez/miedler
Rojer/pavlasek

I never heard of any of these people and I don’t understand what New York State has to do with Roger Vasselin.

 

[travlerajm]

Just saw the entry list for AO:
To answer my own question, ebden is playing w Vliegen, and Bopanna is w barrientos.

New teams:
NYS/roger-vasselin
Gille/Zielinski
Dodig/mansouri
Santi Gonzalez/miedler
Rojer/pavlasek

These are the same pairings reported last month, so Brisbane just a one-off.

 

[Sudacafan]

I never heard of any of these people and I don’t understand what New York State has to do with Roger Vasselin.

I believe that both items may have some kind of connection, but I'd rather leave things as they are. Hope this helps.

 

[ey039524]

Who's going to carry Thompson now that Purcell is out?

 

[travlerajm]

Who's going to carry Thompson now that Purcell is out?

Maybe Rinky?

 

[ey039524]

Maybe Rinky?

I was impressed when he played w Peers and took out the Murrays. His returns were impeccable. He is probably better teaming w a big server/power player, although at AO, he can get away w playing w another good returner, like he did w Kubler 2 years ago.

 

[ey039524]

Any sources of the women's doubles entry list? I'm curious to see if siniakova is going to stick w Taylor Townsend or if she's going back to Storm Hunter.

I read that hsieh is playing w ostapenko. This bums me out. I can't stand ostapenko.

 

[Purestriker]

Any sources of the women's doubles entry list? I'm curious to see if siniakova is going to stick w Taylor Townsend or if she's going back to Storm Hunter.

I read that hsieh is playing w ostapenko. This bums me out. I can't stand ostapenko.

Didn't see that link up happening, but it might just be crazy enough to work.

 

[travlerajm]

The conditions in Brisbane seem to favor the singles guys over the doubles specialists, which is the exception to the rule. My guys will have to navigate past a big-serving duo of singles serve+1 bots regardless of who wins the other semi.

 

[Purestriker]

The conditions in Brisbane seem to favor the singles guys over the doubles specialists, which is the exception to the rule. My guys will have to navigate past a big-serving duo of singles serve+1 bots regardless of who wins the other semi.

I have been surprised at how they have struggled with returning the singles players serves.

 

[travlerajm]

I have been surprised at how they have struggled with returning the singles players serves.

Hong Kong has been dominated by doubles specialists, as is usually the case.

Brisbane is the exception to the rule.