Kiwi Marcus Daniell and Dutchman Wesley Koolhof have been narrowly beaten in the doubles final of the ATP tournament in s-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands.
They've lost 6-4, 4-6, 10-4 in 1 hour 26 to the new combination of American Austin Krajicek and Britain's Dominic Inglot. Daniell and Koolhof got offto a poor start with the Dutchman losing his opening service game before an hour long rain delay. After the resumption Daniell and Koolhof broke back before Koolhof dropped serve a second time to trail 5-4 before another rain delay.
Play was halted for an hour again and Inglot saved a break back point before closing out the first set.
Games went with serve to 5-4 in the second set when Daniell and Koolhof won a deciding point against Inglot's serve to win the set and force a deciding match tie break.
Inglot and Krajicek jumped out to an early lead which they never relinquished to claim the title. Koolhof and Daniell have now finished runner up together in three ATP finals with their sole title success coming in Brisbane in January.
Meanwhile Kiwi Erin Routliffe and her Chilean partner Alexa Guarachi have lost their doubles quarter final at the WTA tournament in Nottingham. They've lost 7-6 6-2 to the Romanian pair of Monica Niculescu and Elena –Gabriela Ruse.
This week's draws are out for the ATP 500 tournaments at Halle in Germany and the Queens club in London.
New Zealand number one Michael Venus and his South African partner Raven Klaasen are the 2nd seeds in Halle and face Krajicek and Inglot fresh from their s-Hertogenbosch success in the first round.
Artem Sitak has teamed up with one of Venus's former partners, veteran Swede Robert Lindstedt and they are attempting to qualify at Queens. They face the tough French pair of Jeremy Chardy and Fabrice Martin who were runners up at Roland Garros, for a place in the main draw.
