The fifth-seeded duo of Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek square off against the eighth-seeded team of Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios in a crucial group-stage encounter at the ATP Finals on Wednesday.
The Australian duo began the year with a bang as they won the doubles event at the Australian Open in January. Kokkinakis and Kyrgios defeated the team of Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell in an all-Australian final. They captured their second title of the season at the Atlanta Open when they defeated another Aussie team comprising Jason Kubler and John Peers in straight sets.
Kokkinakis and Kyrgios faced the top-seeded team of Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhof in the first match in Turin. The former duo won a tight first set but Skupski and Koolhof managed to bounce back strongly. Skupski and Koolhof eventually won the match 6-7 (3-7), 6-4, 10-5.
The Croatian-American duo won their first title of the season at the Lyon Open. They defeated the team of Maximo Gonzalez and Marcelo Melo to win the title. Dodig and Krajicek finished runner-up at the French Open. They have been in excellent form as of late, having reached four consecutive finals prior to the ATP Finals. Out of the four finals, they came out victorious in the Tennis Napoli Cup and the Basel Open.
In the opening encounter in Turin, Dodig and Krajicek lost to Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic 4-6, 6-3, 7-10 in an interesting match.
Both teams need to win this match to stay afloat in the competition. Dodig and Krajicek have been in great form and they should get the better of the Australian in a closely-contested rubber.
Prediction: Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek to win in three sets.
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