Haase/Oswald Save 2 M.P. To Take Umag Title

Second seeds Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald made sure their first week as a team was a memorable one. Just before midnight on Saturday, they saved two championship points and took the title at the Plava Laguna Croatia Open Umag over top-seeded Austrians Oliver Marach and Jurgen Melzer 7-5, 6-7(2), 14-12.

“It’s always great to win a title. That’s what counts in the end,” said Haase. “We always talked about playing together over the years and never did, so to win in our first time together is really great.”

Haase/Oswald erased championship points at 8/9 and 10/11 in the Match Tie-break and converted on their third championship point after one hour and 56 minutes. The Dutch-Austrian duo needed Match Tie-breaks for all three of its wins this week. They also saved four match points in their first-round victory over Andrey Rublev and Andrei Vasilevski.

“It was a lovely week for us,” said Oswald. “The key was that we had good energy and a lot of fun and off the court. It was tough to play against good friends and I feel sorry for them now, but we were lucky to win in the end.”

Both Haase and Oswald picked up their first ATP Tour doubles titles of the season. The win also completed a successful title defence for Haase, who prevailed here last year with Matwe Middelkoop.

Marach/Melzer were competing in their first ATP Tour doubles final as a team. Melzer prevailed this year in Marrakech (w/Skugor) and Sofia (w/Mektic), while Melzer took the title in Geneva (w/Pavic).

Haase/Oswald picked up 250 ATP Doubles Rankings points and split €29,650, while Marach/Melzer earned 150 ATP Doubles Rankings points and split €15,200.