Joe McConnell
Jack Draper won the first doubles match of his career, partnering world number 1 Jannik Sinner in Montreal.
The British No. 1 joined Australian Open champion Sinner of Italy in an all-star scratch pairing at the National Bank Open as preparations for the US Open began to heat up.
The 22-year-olds looked like they had never played together before as they dominated the first set against Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, the 16th seeds, without dropping a game.
Gille and Vliegen, an experienced doubles pair, despite being beaten by Andy Murray and Dan Evans at the Olympics, drew the match after a one-sided tie-break.
But Draper and Sinner recovered from a 7-4 deficit in the tie-break to win 6-0 6-7 10-8.
Draper, whose last appearance was an Olympic loss to Taylor Fritz, had played only three ATP doubles matches in his career and lost all of them.
Sinner, who unlike his new partner has a doubles ranking, was playing his first match since Wimbledon, having missed Paris 2024 with tonsillitis.
The two are among several singles players, including Russian world number five Daniil Medvedev, looking to get more court time in the doubles draw ahead of Flushing Meadows.
In the next round they will meet American Ben Shelton and Kazakh Alexander Bublik.
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World number one Jannik Sinner beat Hubert Hurkacz to win his first ATP Tour title on grass
Shelton and Bublik advanced to the next round after Britain’s Henry Patten and his partner Harri Heliovaara, the Wimbledon champions, had to retire from their match after colliding while attempting an overhead shot.
Draper will return to the grind on Wednesday, when he faces Australian Jordan Thompson in singles.
What’s happening on Vscek Tennis?
Ahead of the final Grand Slam of 2024, the US Open, you’ll be able to see all the biggest tennis stars in action Live on Sky Sport as they compete during the season on the hard courts.
- National Bank Open, Montreal (ATP 1000) – August 6-12
- National Bank Open, Toronto (WTA 1000) – August 6-12
- Cincinnati Open (ATP 1000) – August 12-19
- Cincinnati Open (WTA 1000) – August 13-19
- Winston-Salem Open (ATP 250) – August 18-24
- Tennis in the Land, Cleveland (WTA 250) – August 18-24
- GNP Seguros Open, Monterrey (WTA 500) – August 19-24
- US Open (ATP/WTA) – August 26 – September 8
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