A perfect end to a perfect week for Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz at the Hamburg European Open.
The German duo defeated Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 7-6(4), 6-3 to triumph at the clay-court ATP 500 in their homeland without dropping a set all week. Krawietz and Puetz, who first teamed in 2017 in Hamburg but did not become regular partners until February this year, saved all four break points they faced in an 88-minute encounter of fine margins to lift their first ATP Tour title as a team.
The third-seeded Krawietz and Puetz carried their momentum from winning the first-set tie-break into the second set against Gille and Vliegen. They notched the only break of the match in the second game of the second set, which proved decisive as they became the first all-German team to win in Hamburg since Jurgen Fassbender and Hans-Jurgen Pohmann in 1974.
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Now 27-12 as a team in 2023, Krawietz and Puetz’s title run in Hamburg has propelled the duo up four spots to eighth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings as they seek to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals. Krawietz is aiming to compete for the fourth time at the prestigious season finale, to be held in Turin from 12-19 November, while Puetz is chasing a debut appearance at the event.
Sunday’s match was Krawietz and Puetz’s third final of the 2023 ATP Tour season, with all three taking place in Germany. They also reached the championship match in Munich and Stuttgart.
Home Favourites Win Atlanta
At the Atlanta Open, fourth seeds Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow collected their second consecutive title after defeating Australians Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson 7-6(3), 7-6(4) in Sunday’s final. The American pair won 82 per cent of their first-serve points and held their nerve in two tie-breaks to be crowned champions.
“[It was] really special. Jackson and I love coming home and playing here in the States,” Lammons said. “Last year, we weren’t able to sneak into this tournament, so it was great to play here. Anytime you can come home with a title, it’s a great feeling.”
Lammons and Withrow arrived in Atlanta off the back of their title run at the ATP 250 event in Newport and extended their winning streak to eight by winning in Georgia, where they rallied from a set down in their opening two matches.
Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow win the Atlanta Open. Photo credit: Alex Smith/Atlanta Open
“For us, it’s just about trusting our stuff, playing aggressive,” Lammons said when asked about their winning streak. “It’s nice to rattle off some wins and show that we can compete with the best teams in the world.”
Lammons and Withrow are ninth in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings as they continue their pursuit for a maiden appearance at the coveted Nitto ATP Finals.