Fleming wins doubles title in Marseille

By Philip James

Fleming/Bopanna (2) 6-4 7-6(3) Qureshi/Rojer (1)

Colin Fleming and his partner Rohan Bopanna capped a good week with a superb display to win the men’s doubles title at the Open 13 tournament in Marseille today.

Fleming, from Linlithgow, Scotland, and his Indian partner were seeded second for the tournament but faced top-seeded Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Jean-Julien Rojer in the final.

The Pakistani-Dutch team had not dropped a set in the tournament thus far but were beaten in straight sets in an hour and twenty minutes by their opponents who were playing in their first tournament together this season.

As is often the way in men’s doubles, the final was dominated by serving and was won by the team that played the big points well and took their opportunities.

In the first set Fleming and Bopanna only won eight return points to their opponents’ twelve but saved all three break points against them while converting one of the three break points they had, to win the set 6-4.

In the second set there were even fewer inroads into the serve with Fleming and Bopanna saving the only break point of the set, before winning the tie-break and with it the match and title.

“It’s a great day for us,” said Fleming. “We beat one of the best teams in the world.”

Fleming  is enjoying a fine season so far and adds this ATP 250 title to the Heineken Open 250 title he won in Auckland in January with Brazilian Bruno Soares.

Currently ranked 26th in the world in men’s doubles, Fleming has played with numerous partners this year after his regular partner Ross Hutchins was diagnosed with cancer in December.

The 28-year-old Scot started the year playing with 2007 Wimbledon mixed doubles champion Jamie Murray but they parted ways after two poor tournaments together.

He then seemed to have formed a promising partnership with fellow Brit and Wimbledon men’s doubles champion Jonthan Marray, before Marray suffered a calf injury in Rotterdam earlier this month.

Fleming now travels to the Beach International Tennis Championships in Delray Beach, Florida where he is seeded third with Australian John Peers who has been partnering Jamie Murray recently.