Melo/Soares upset Lindstedt/Zimonjic to grab title – If Stockholm Open 2012
Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares of Brazil captured their fourth tour level title as a team by beating the top seeds, Robert Lindstedt and Nenad Zimonjic, in the final of the If Stockholm Open. This ATP World Tour 250 indoor hard
court event was being held in Sweden.
The Brazilian tandem lost the opener against their more experienced rivals but then bounced back to equalise the match score at one set apiece and then clinched the super tie-breaker to prevail in the end with a score line of 6-7(4),
7-5, 10-6.
Lindstedt and Zimonjic made a flying start, as they captured first three games to race to a 3-0 lead. However, the Swedish-Serbian tandem could not close out the set in the ninth and also lost the next one to take the score to
5-5. The following two games went with serve, levelling the proceedings at 6-6 and forcing a tie-breaker. Lindstedt and Zimonjic attained a 4-1 lead and capitalised on it to triumph 7-6(4).
Both teams held their opening serves in the second set to even out the score at 1-1. Lindstedt and Zimonjic struck in the third and consolidated on it to move ahead 3-1. Melo and Soares hit back in the eighth game to square off
the score at 4-4. The Swede-Serbian air failed to hold when they served to stay in the set in the 12th and went down 5-7.
Match tie-breaker went back and forth till 4-4 but then Melo and Soares pressed the accelerator, winning six of the following eight points to seal it 10-6.
The Brazilian combination needed one hour and 52 minutes to topple their higher ranked rivals.
Talking to the media people after the match, Soares said, "I am very happy. I really enjoy playing and being able to win such a tough match – coming back from a set and a break – was even better."
Melo added, "We are happy to be here and to win. We’ll be back here next year."
Soares improved his win/loss record in the tour level title matches to 9-9 and Melo took it to 10-11.
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