August 15, 2021 - The world's best Croatian tennis duo has done it again - Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić have reached their 12th final so far this year by advancing to the Canadian Open doubles final! 

Olympic gold medalists Nikola Mektić and Mate Pavić advanced to the ATP Masters 1000 series finals in Toronto. In the semifinal match, they defeated German Kevin Krawietz and Romanian Horia Tecau 7-6 (3), 7-6 (12).

Mektić and Pavić were more successful in both tie breaks during the match. 

In the first set, each side equalized once on their opponent's service - Krawietz and Tecau in the 8th game, and Mektić and Pavić in the 11th game, but failed to win the deciding point. In the tie break, Mektić and Pavić took the lead at 3-0, then 6-1, and convincingly brought the first set to an end.

The Croatian side was better in the second set in which they had four break points, one in the 6th and three more in the 8th game, but they failed to materialize them. Krawietz and Tecau took a 4-0 lead, then a 5-1 lead in the second tie break, and it looked like an extended tie-break would be played, but Mektić and Pavić reached 5-5, followed by a series of 15 points in a row won by the serving pair.

Krawietz and Tecau had four set points in that series, and Mektić and Pavić had three match points. However, the series was interrupted by the Croatian side's 13-12 lead when they used their fourth match point.

This is already the 56th victory for Mektić and Pavić in 2021, with only nine defeats. With this win, they have thus reached their 12th final. So far, they have won nine titles, and on the way to the tenth, they will face American Rajeev Ram and the Briton Joe Salisbury who defeated Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen in the semifinal. 

Source: HRT

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