Lopez-Marrero Win Second Team Title In Hamburg

© Getty ImagesMichael Stich presented the trophies to the doubles finalists.

Spaniards Marc Lopez and David Marrero won their second ATP World Tour doubles title together Sunday when they defeated French duo Jeremy Chardy and Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-3, 2-6, 10-8 in the final of the German Open Tennis Championships, an ATP World Tour 500 clay-court tournament in Hamburg.

Lopez and Marrero, currently No. 35 in the 2010 ATP Doubles Team Rankings, received 500 ATP World Tour ranking points to add to their tally, plus €71,280 in prize money.

"I’m so happy," declared Marrero. "We didn’t start to play that good, but every day we felt more comfortable. Marc is a great partner on the court, but also outside from the court, and I hope we’ll play more tournaments together."

The Spaniards won their first ATP World Tour doubles title as a team earlier this year on clay at the Estoril Open (d. Cuevas-Granollers). The 30-year-old Marrero now has a 2-0 record in ATP World Tour doubles finals, while the 27-year-old Lopez improved to a 4-1 mark. Lopez also teamed with Rafael Nadal to win the BNP Paribas Open in March and the Qatar ExxonMobil Open last year.

"It was an amazing week," reflected Lopez. "It’s our second title this year. I am very happy because it is a very important victory. It’s for both of us the first title in an ATP [World Tour] 500 tournament. And next year I’ll try to win again."

In an all-unseeded final, Lopez and Marrero broke serve twice in the third and ninth games to claim a one-set lead. They were quickly pegged back, though, as Chardy and Mathieu broke serve in the first and seventh games of the second set to force a deciding Match Tie-break. The Spanish duo established an early 5-2 lead in the Match Tie-break and did not relinquish their lead, going on to seal victory in 75 minutes.

Chardy and Mathieu were playing their first ATP World Tour doubles final together. The 23-year-old Chardy dropped to a 1-2 mark in finals, while the 28-year-old Mathieu slipped to a 1-1 record.