Bopanna-Qureshi Boost Finals Chances With Stockholm Title

© AFP/Getty ImagesAisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi and Rohan Bopanna won their second ATP World Tour title of the season.

Top seeds Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi boosted their chances of qualifying for the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals on Sunday as they won their second ATP World Tour title of the season. ‘The Indo-Pak Express’ defeated fourth-seeded Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares 6-1, 6-3 in the final of the If Stockholm Open.

Bopanna and Qureshi are currently seventh in the 2011 ATP Doubles Team Rankings and added 250 points courtesy of their win at the ATP World Tour 250 indoor hard-court tennis tournament in Stockholm. Three places remain in the eight-team field at the prestigious season finale in London next month.

"It has been a great week for us here," said Qureshi. "I always enjoy coming back to Stockholm. A few years ago I lost against Jonas Björkman in the first round and learnt something from that defeat (laughing). It's also very special for me here thanks to the Pakistani fans who come to the stadium to support us. Of course, I also want to thank Rohan. We have been playing together for two years now and it's going great."

Against Melo and Soares in the final, Bopanna and Qureshi made a fast start, breaking serve twice to clinch the opener. They then broke through in the seventh game of the second set before breaking again in the ninth game to claim victory in 57 minutes.

Bopanna and Qureshi won their third ATP World Tour title together and second of the season, following victory on grass at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle in June (d. Haase-Raonic). They improved to a 3-7 career mark.

Melo and Soares had not lost a set en route to the title match, including victory over defending champions Eric Butorac and Jean-Julien Rojer in the semi-finals, and were contesting their eighth ATP World Tour final together (3-5 mark). Currently 10th in the 2011 ATP Doubles Team Rankings, they also received a boost in the Battle for London, receiving 150 points.