Doubles Take: Cincinnati and more

As the US Open approaches, Doubles Take looks at the last warm-ups before the final Grand Slam of the season.

THE COMEBACK STORY OF THE SUMMER CONTINUES

Usually, when a player is away from the game for five years, that’s pretty much a wrap on their careers. As quickly as the game moves, if they’re attempting a comeback after such a long time away, they can find themselves left by the wayside.

Unless, it seems, you’re Filip Polasek.

Sidelined with a back injury for several years, the doubles specialist has been on a tear since the grass-court season. Teaming up with Ivan Dodig, the duo just won their second title in several weeks, claiming the crown in Cincinnati over top seeds Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah. The Slovakian-Croatian duo had to rally from a set down, behind points like this:

For Polasek, it’s the biggest title of his career, and after a semifinal in his most recent Grand Slam at Wimbledon with Dodig, bigger things could be in store in New York.

THREE IS A MAGIC NUMBER

Last year at the WTA tournament in Cincinnati, former world No. 4 Lucie Hradecka broke a two-year title drought when she won with Ekaterina Makarova.

Winless since then before this year’s edition, Hradecka ended another skid, capturing the title with Andreja Klepac.

The No. 8 seeds didn’t drop a set all week, topping Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Demi Schuurs in the final, who were fresh off their fourth final of the year in Canada the prior week. For Hradecka, it’s her third title overall at the tournament with as many different partners.

THIS WEEK

The tournament calendars are rather light this week with the US Open only a few days away. The men’s teams looking to get in some last-minute prep are at the Winston-Salem Open in North Carolina. Heavy hitters Marcelo Melo and Lukasz Kubot are the top seeds at this year’s event, where Kevin Krawietz and Andreas Mies, the reigning French Open champs, are already out, continuing their rough run since Paris.

The women have a WTA International event going on in the Bronx in New York. The draw is exceptionally strong: Aussie Open champs Samantha Stosur and Shuai Zhang, the top seeds, won a round but were knocked out in the quarterfinals. The Chan sisters, Hao-Ching and Latisha, are the second seeds at the inaugural edition of the tournament.

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