ATP World Tour Finals 2010: Doubles Match Preview - Bhupathi/Miryni versus Norman/Moodie
Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Miryni, who are seeded number three to win the title at the 2010 Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London, will meet the seventh seed pair of d**k Norman and Wesley Moodie in their first ever career encounter on the tour. The winner
of this match will qualify for the semi-final round in the season finale.
Bhupathi from India and Miryni a Belarusian reunited in 2010 on the first occasion since 2004. The tandem made their way into the season-end tournament together for the third time as they previously played here as a pair back in 2003 and 2004.
Miryni along with his partner Bhupathi have so far reached a total of five title battles in 2010, including four ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournaments. Both of them posted their best result of the season by winning their only crown at the ATP Masters 1000
Paris where they got the better of Knowles-Ram in the final to pick up the crown.
After a slow start to the season, the Indian-Belarusian tandem reached the final in Miami where they missed just a single set on their way to the title battle before losing to Dlouhy-Paes in straight sets. In their next event in Monte-Carlo, they surpassed
the number one Bryans in the final eight round before Mahesh pulled out in the final due to his leg injury.
After a third round exit at the grass court Grand Slam tournament, they made a comeback on the tour during the summer hard court season where Mahesh along with his partner Max reached the semi final rounds in Toronto, New Heaven and final in Cincinnati.
At the year’s final Grand Slam, the United States Open in New York, the second seed tandem couldn’t go beyond the second round as they were upset by Schwank-Zeballos in straight sets.
This month, the pair reached their fourth final of the year in Valencia, followed by a title victory at the BNP Paribas Masters in Bercy. Mahesh has won at least one ATP World Tour title for fourteen seasons in a row whereas Max has picked up at least one
trophy for twelve consecutive years since 1999 on the tour.
They are playing their last competition as a pair as Mahesh announced on Sunday that he will be rejoining Leander Paes next year.
The Belgian-South African pair of Norman and Moodie, on the other hand, is competing at the prestigious event in London for the first time on the tour.
Although, Norman and Moodie have not even made it into the final of an ATP singles event throughout the season, the duo was consistently a regular weekend performer, reaching a total of seven final four rounds in 2010.
They first grouped up in 2009 however played with different partners during the start of this year. Norman and Moodie, who are seeded number seven to win the title in the elite eight man field in 2010, rejoined in April at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Monte
Carlo where they finished as semi finalists to Nestor-Zimonjic in straight sets.
Norman along with Moodie lost three opening round clashes in a row before once again regaining form and advancing into the semi final round at the clay court French Open competition in Roland Garros before falling at the hands of Nestor-Zimonjic.
The pair also continued their excellent run on grass with semi-final showings in 's-Hertogenbosch and Wimbledon. During summer, the two of them advanced into a total of two semi-finals in Gstaad, ATP World Tour Masters 1000 Cincinnati and quarter final at
the U.S Open.
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