Estoril Open 2007 News and Events

Marcelo Melo & Andre Sa
© João Lagos Sports

Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Andre Sa ousted top seeds Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski 6-1, 7-6(3) to earn their first trip as a duo to an ATP final. Melo will be playing in his first career title match at the ATP-level, while Sa comes in with a 1-6 final record. He won his sole doubles title in 2001 at Hong Kong (w/ Braasch).

Melo and Sa have quickly gelled as a tandem after first joining efforts last July at the Campos do Jordao Challenger. In their first four tournaments together, all at the Challenger level, they won three titles and finished as runners-up once. They made their ATP-level debut by reaching the semifinals in Vina del Mar in February, and in their most recent tournament appearance, won the Bermuda Challenger.

Fyrstenberg and Matkowski were attempting to reach their first final of the season. In 2006, Fyrstenberg and Matkowski reached the title match on six occasions, capturing the clay court title in Bucharest.

Melo and Sa will confront Argentines Martin Garcia and Sebastian Prieto in Sunday's final. Garcia and Prieto defeated the South African-Dutch duo of Jeff Coetzee and Rogier Wassen 6-4, 7-6(4).

The Argentines won the clay court title in Buenos Aires in February, the team's first final win in three tries (2004, '06 Sopot). Garcia enters with a 7-10 record in ATP doubles finals and Prieto an 8-12 mark.