New Zealand's Michael Venus and his South African doubles partner Raven Klaasen are through to the final at the ATP Finals in London after a launching a stunning comeback against the world's number one ranked team.
Michael Venus and Raven Klaasen Photo: Photosport Ltd 2019 www.photosport.nz
Having topped their Group with two wins from three matches in round robin, the 5th seeds have beaten Colombians Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal in the semi-final - 6-7 (5) 7-6 (10) 10-6 in 2 hours and 8 minutes.
They will take on Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut in the final.
Venus and Klaasen looked down and out in the second set tie break against the Wimbledon and US Open champions who had already secured the year end world number one ranking.
They trailed 4-0 but they fought back, and a Venus ace gave them a set point at 6-5. They had another at 8-7 after Klaasen had saved a match point at 6-7. Venus held his nerve to bring up a 3rd set point at 10-9.
A Farah double fault handed Venus and Klaasen a first set point on their own serve at 11-10 and Klaasen converted to win the set in 59 minutes and take the match into a match tie break.
Venus and Klaasen got off to the best possible start as they raced to a 5-0 lead in the first to 10 point match tie break and it proved too much to overcome for the Colombians who staged a mini revival before the 5th seeds converted the third of five match points top secure an incredible win.
Earlier both pairs were broken once in the first set which was also decided by a tie break which the Colombians won on their first set point 7-5.
Venus said coming back from the brink was a great feeling and should put them in good stead for the final.
"Knowing that you hung in there and played some good tennis when you needed to, going into tomorrow that is a good confidence booster and hopefully we can use that and keep going," he said.
Venus and Klaasen have not come up against Herbert and Mahut before.
Venus said the French pair are in terrific form.
"They won the Australian Open at the beginning of the year and then they didn't really play together much for the rest of the year and then two weeks ago they won a tournament and then they haven't lost a set now through the group stages and semi-finals so they are obviously playing really well and very confident so yeah we're going to need to come out firing."
Venus and Klaasen have played doubles together for two year's now and Venus said they are at a point now where their communication is fine-tuned.
"Some things we don't really need to say because we kinda know what the other is sensing or kinda what they are thinking in that situation, so it definitely helps to be on the same page and working together as a team."
Making the final has seen Venus and Klaasen extend their combined earnings for the week to US $289,000. Winning tomorrow's final will earn them an additional US$204,000.
Regardless of tomorrow's result, this morning's win will ensure the 32-year-old Kiwi will end the year ranked among the world's top 10 doubles players with his projected ranking to go to 9 and as high as 6 if he wins the title.
Venus said winning the ATP Finals would be up there with winning the French Open a couple of year's ago.
"The top eight teams in the world are playing here and everyone wants to finish the year strong and playing well, so to come through would be a huge achievement, but trying not to think about that right now and just trying to focus on the task at hand."