The Gonet Geneva Open certainly does seem to suit Mate Pavic. Playing alongside fellow countryman Nikola Mektic, the Croat collected the trophy for his third time this afternoon at the Parc des Eaux-Vives. Mektic was making his debut here in Geneva, and it was a successful one, to say the least. The Croatian pair defeated Pablo Andujar and Matwe Middelkoop 2-6 6-2 10-3 despite the match getting off to a shaky start for the eventual winners. “They took us by surprise,” Nikola Mektic admitted post-match. “They played really well, and had plenty of winners. I think the first break we got early in the second set helped get us going again.”
The start of the season hasn’t been as prolific as expected for the duo, ranked 4th at the ATP. After claiming nine titles in 2021, including an Olympic gold medal and a win at Wimbledon, the Croats got a fresh taste of victory at the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome last weekend. “Each trophy means a lot to us,” Mate Pavic said, smiling. “It was an incredible week, and gives us confidence for Roland-Garros. I love coming to Geneva, and it’s the first time in my career to win a tournament three times. I’ll definitely be back next year!”
Olympic champions at the top
