Venus and Peers beaten in Madrid

Michael Venus has lost his first ATP doubles match following a two-and-a-half-month absence after the Australian Open. Venus and his Australian partner John Peers have been beaten in the first round of the Madrid Open, ATP Masters 1000 tournament in straight sets by Australians Max Purcell and Luke Saville.

 Venus can be forgiven for a being rusty having spent the past couple of months in Auckland with wife Sally who gave birth to the couple’s second daughter last month. The Kiwi number one only flew to Madrid last Thursday and had little time to acclimatise.

Saville and Purcell won 7-6 (7) 6-3 in 1 hour 24.  While it was a close match the Australian combination was in the ascendancy and didn’t face a break point against their serve in the entire match. Venus and Peers saved six of the seven break points against their serve.  The only break in the match came at the start of the second set when Peers was broken, and Saville and Purcell were able to consolidate and go on and clinch a place in the second round.

Venus and Peers will now head to the Rome Masters next week, a tournament where they reached the semi-finals last year when it was held in the European autumn before the delayed French Open.

Meanwhile Erin Routliffe has been beaten 6-3 6-3 by Japanese player Eri Hozumi in the first round of singles qualifying at the ITF US $100,000 tournament in Charleston in South Carolina.