Tennis: Marcus Daniell reaches third round of doubles at French Open

Marcus Daniell. Photo / Getty

Kiwi doubles specialist Marcus Daniell and American partner Brian Baker have stunned the 11th seeds to reach the third round of the doubles at the French Open.

Daniell and Baker have beaten Finland's Henri Kontinen and Australian John Peers 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 16 minutes.

"We played a good match knew it would be tough but the way we have been playing we knew we could be dangerous and they didn't like it." Daniell said.

The Kiwis broke early in the first set to take the opener in 28 minutes. The second set was tighter with both teams have opportunities to break.

'At the start of the second set we had a lot of break point chance and played a very good return game but didn't take it. We then had to battle for our own serve and through the middle of the second set it was very close. But our cumulative pressure took its toll and we got a break before Brian hit a massive ace on match point to serve it out which was a relief." Daniell said Daniell and Baker will take on the 6th seeds Florian Mergea of Romania and India's Rohan Bopanna in the last 16.

"We know them and I have played against them a couple of times and have had wins against them. Obviously they have had consistent results as a team but with the game we are playing we can cause anyone trouble and hope to do that on Sunday."

Daniell's regular partner Artem Sitak and American Nicholas Monroe have bowed out of the tournament after a tough three sets defeat by the 9th seeds Lukasz Kubot and Alexander Peya.

It was a gruelling encounter which could have gone either way. The Polish Austrian combination were quick out of the blocks with an early break and went onto win the first set 6-4.

But Sitak and Monroe hit back in a tight second set and after failing to convert break points at 6-5, 15-40, won the next two points to force a deciding third set.

But both Monroe and Sitak were broken in the deciding set as the 9th seeds completing a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 victory in 2hours 19 minutes.

Sitak was left lamenting what might have been.

"The key today was that we went down two breaks in the first and third sets and it was too hard to come back from, even though we got one break back and had break points to get back to five all in the first."

Matt Brown is in Paris thanks to Emirates Airline