New Zealand's Michael Venus has beaten the player he teamed up with to win last year's French Open doubles title in the first round of the Rome Masters.
Venus and his South African partner Raven Klaasen have beaten American Ryan Harrison and Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hr 4. It was the first time Venus had played Harrison since the good friends ended their doubles partnership after reaching the semi-finals at last year's ATP World Tour finals in London.
Venus and Klaasen fresh off a quarter finals result in Madrid last week made a flying start, breaking Harrison's serve in the opening game. Venus faced a deciding point serving at 3-2 but held serve and then Verdasco was broken in the next game before Klaasen served out the first set in 28 minutes.
The first break for Venus and Klaasen came in the 5th game of the second set with Verdasco serving and finding himself 0-40 down, he saved two break points before Harrison netted. But they immediately broke back in the next game before Venus and Klaasen got the decisive break and games went with Klaasen finishing off the match with a forehand volley winner.
Venus and Klaasen will face 5th seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares in the second round. A strong performance this week in Rome could take 16th ranked Venus to a career high ranking ahead of the French Open.