Tim Puetz and Michael Venus sprung a surprise on Monday at the BNP Paribas Open as they battled back to upset second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 4-6, 6-4, 10-6 to reach the quarter-finals in Indian Wells.
The German-New Zealand tandem rallied from a set and a break down at 2-3, before raising their level in the Match Tie-Break to advance after one hour and 30 minutes. It is the fourth time this season the unseeded pair has reached the last eight at a tour-level event. They captured their first title as a team in Hamburg on clay in July.
In the quarter-finals Puetz and Venus will face fifth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Horia Tecau, who defeated Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey 7-6(7), 7-6(4).
[FOLLOW 1000]
Eighth seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo also advanced as they team for the time since November 2016, edging past Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-4, 4-6, 10-5.
The Croatian-Brazilian pair enjoyed a run to the semi-finals as a team in Indian Wells in 2015 and moved a step closer to matching that this year, winning 80 per cent (33/41) of their first-serve points to secure their victory in one hour and 33 minutes.
They will meet Fabio Fognini and Lorenzo Sonego in the quarter-finals after the Italians received a walkover from John Isner and Jack Sock, with Isner leaving the ATP Masters 1000 event to attend the birth of his third child.
The German-New Zealand tandem rallied from a set and a break down at 2-3, before raising their level in the Match Tie-Break to advance after one hour and 30 minutes. It is the fourth time this season the unseeded pair has reached the last eight at a tour-level event. They captured their first title as a team in Hamburg on clay in July.
In the quarter-finals Puetz and Venus will face fifth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Horia Tecau, who defeated Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey 7-6(7), 7-6(4).
[FOLLOW 1000]
Eighth seeds Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo also advanced as they team for the time since November 2016, edging past Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-4, 4-6, 10-5.
The Croatian-Brazilian pair enjoyed a run to the semi-finals as a team in Indian Wells in 2015 and moved a step closer to matching that this year, winning 80 per cent (33/41) of their first-serve points to secure their victory in one hour and 33 minutes.
They will meet Fabio Fognini and Lorenzo Sonego in the quarter-finals after the Italians received a walkover from John Isner and Jack Sock, with Isner leaving the ATP Masters 1000 event to attend the birth of his third child.