The doubles final in Hangzhou is set, and the top seeds have punched their ticket. Portugal’s Francisco Cabral and his Austrian partner, Lucas Miedler, battled their way through a tough semifinal match on Monday. They faced the Indian duo of Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli in a thrilling contest.
Cabral, 28, and Miedler, 29, are no strangers to big moments. They hold impressive world rankings, with Cabral at 31st and Miedler just ahead at 28th. Their status as the top favorites in this ATP tournament in China was definitely put to the test. The hard court match stretched for one hour and 24 minutes, making for a real fight.
A Super Tie-Break Victory
The match was a rollercoaster. Cabral and Miedler dropped the first set 3-6. But they quickly regrouped, coming back strong to win the second set 6-3. This pushed the contest to a decisive super tie-break. The top-seeded pair kept their cool, securing the win with a dominant 10-3 in the tie-break. This victory puts them right where they want to be: playing for the title.
This isn’t their first taste of success this year, either. The pair already claimed a major trophy, winning the Gstaad tournament in Switzerland earlier in the main circuit season. They are proving to be a formidable team.
What’s Next: The Final Showdown
Now, Cabral and Miedler are preparing for Tuesday’s championship match. They will face a challenging pair: Colombia’s Nicolas Barrientos and David Pel from the Netherlands. The Portuguese-Austrian duo will be looking to add another title to their growing collection in what promises to be a gripping final in Hangzhou.