YUKI BHAMBRI and Lloyd Harris continued the perfect start to their partnership by winning the Mallorca Championships doubles title on Saturday. Now 4-0 as a pair, the Indian-South African duo defeated Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald 6-3, 6-4 in the ATP 250 final, completing their run without losing a set.
The trophy is the first ATP Tour crown for both men across both singles and doubles. Only Harris had previously reached a tour-level final, twice in singles and once before in doubles.
"Definitely a lot of fun. We went in with no expectations I think this week," said the 30-year-old Bhambri. "We just enjoyed playing, took it match by match and had a great tournament. It's a great city, a great place and I really enjoyed playing here."
"We had so much fun out there," added Harris, 26, who became the first South African to win an ATP Tour title since Raven Klaasen last year in Seoul. "We really enjoyed it. I didn't even know I was going to play this week. For me, it's just all a bonus. Super stoked with the title."
After knocking out fourth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos in the quarter-finals and top seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the semis, Bhambri and Harris converted on four of six break points in their final victory. Aided by eight aces, they won 90 per cent of their first-serve points and faced just two break points, saving one.
Bhambri moved up to No. 58 in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Live Rankings with the title, setting himself up for a new career high.