ASB Classic: Michael Venus, Nikola Mektic reach doubles semifinals

Michael Venus and Nikola Mektic have produced strong results early into their partnership. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi Michael Venus believes his new doubles partnership is on the right track, ahead of the climax to the ASB Classic.

Venus and Croatian Nikola Mektic are into today’s semifinals, after a 6-4 4-6 10-5 victory over the Spanish duo of Pablo Carreno Busta and Sergio Martos Gornes.

Venus and Mektic only teamed up at the end of the last season but already the signs are promising. They reached the quarter-finals in Brisbane last week and are one match away from the final here.

“Obviously, the more time you spend with each other, the better, but actually the more time you spend in situations like these matches where it’s uncomfortable or things that are happening that don’t always happen in practice, you learn about each other a lot quicker,” said Venus.

“So to be able to be in those situations and come through, that’s really positive. From my side it’s going great. I feel communication is really good, we’re having great practices and we’re on the same page, so looking to keep building on that.”

They are also enjoying the home support, an annual treat for Venus but a novelty for Mektic.

“With doubles, the momentum, as you can see changes so quickly,” said Venus. “To have that energy behind you, to lift you and that positivity, it definitely helps us.

On Thursday it wasn’t the most convincing performance, against the unorthodox Spaniards, with Carreno Busta as a specialist singles player.

“It was a very strange match I have to say,” said Mektic.

But they always looked more likely and confirmed their dominance in the super tiebreak, racing to a 5-0 advantage, then a 9-2 lead, before Mektic converted their fourth match point.

They had started well in the first set, with two early breaks for 3-0. Things got tighter from there. At 5-4, the tenth game was the best of the set, as Venus and Mektic fought back from 0-30. It featured some brilliant rallies, with one seeing both net players poised to pounce – as groundstrokes whizzed by – before Venus eventually did.

The second set remained on serve until the tenth game, when a slashing Carreno Busta backhand set up two set points. Venus and Mektic fought back to deuce, before the Spanish converted on the deciding point. But there was no doubt about the tiebreak. The Spanish had some early serving trouble and once Venus and Mektic took the lead, they were never going to be headed.

In the evening singles, Portuguese seventh seed Nuno Borges outlasted Czech teenager Jakub Mensik 6-7 (4) 6-2 7-6 (4) in 147 minutes.

The 19-year-old had looked the player to beat here, after an eye-catching win over top seed Ben Shelton on Wednesday night, which made him the youngest quarter-finalist here since Rafa Nadal in 2004.
But Mensik was perhaps feeling the effects of two previous marathon encounters – with consecutive three-setters against Carreno Busta and Shelton – while Borges was rock solid. He was consistent on serve and clever with his returns, despite Mensik sending down 18 aces.

“I knew it was going to be a tough one,” said the 27-year-old. “I wish I could have taken a few more chances, especially on the second serve. It would have given me a little more room to breathe, because in the rallies I was able to stay a little more physical.

“His serve is really tough to handle and it puts a lot of pressure on you, so overall I did a good job staying on serve and giving myself good shots throughout the match. I’m proud of myself for how I battled and came out on top of this.”

World No 36 Borges will face Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs (66) in the second semifinal, with Gael Monfils and Nishesh Basavareddy to meet in the first this afternoon.

Order of play Friday
Gael Monfils (FRA) vs [Q] Nishesh Basavareddy (USA)
[7] Nuno Borges (POR) vs [Q] Zizou Bergs (BEL)
[1] Nikola Mektic (CRO) / Michael Venus (NZL) vs Yuki Bhambri (IND) / Albano Olivetti (FRA)
Christian Harrison (USA) / Rajeev Ram (USA) vs [2] Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) / Andres Molteni (ARG)