Marathon man Nicolas Mahut turns in another heroic effort and captures his second title in as many days–this one in doubles–on Monday in Newport. Mahut had already won three matches–two in singles and a doubles semifinal–on Sunday.
Once known almost exclusively for playing the longest match in tennis history against John Isner at Wimbledon in 2010, Nicolas Mahut is following in Isner’s footsteps and adding to his legacy. And he is doing it at an alarming rate.
Nicolas Mahut won his fourth match in a 25-hour span when he teamed up with fellow Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin to overcome Americans Tim Smyczek and Rhyne Williams 6-7(4), 6-2, 10-5 in the doubles final of the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships on Monday. The French duo double-faulted six times but still managed to hold their last nine service games after getting broken in the second game of the match. Mahut–a doubles runner-up at Roland Garros last month–and Roger-Vasselin prevailed in one hour and 32 minutes.
After rain washed out play on Saturday, Mahut had been scheduled to potentially contest four matches on Sunday. Following a routine dismissal of Michael Russell during singles semifinal action, the world No. 127 (now up 52 spots to 75th) defeated Lleyton Hewitt 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 for the championship. Hewitt served for the title at 5-4 in the second, but one of his five service donations came at the worst possible time.
“A month ago I was playing to make the cut for the qualies at the U.S. Open,” Mahut explained. “I was 240 (in the world) with some points to defend. I told my coach, ‘I have to play great on grass to make the cut for the qualies.’ A month later I have two titles.”
After going the first 31 years and five months of his life without an ATP singles title, Mahut has now won two in the last four weeks. He also triumphed on the grass courts of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where he upset Stanislas Wawrinka in the final.
As for Mahut’s U.S. Open bid, the main-draw entry deadline is today and he is suddenly well inside the cut line. Once in danger of not playing in qualifying, Mahut will now be absent from the qualifying draw more a much different and much better reason.
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