Andy Murray learns Paris Masters draw as brother Jamie clinches St Petersburg doubles title

Andy Murray begins his Paris Masters bid on Monday but brother Jamie is the toast of the family after winning the St Petersburg Open doubles title.

Jamie Murray speaks during the award ceremony at the final of the St Petersburg Open. Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/Shutterstock (12581279v)

The elder Murray sibling clinched his second tour-level trophy of the season alongside partner Bruno Soares as the top seeds ended a strong week that saw them drop just one set by overcoming Andrey Golubev and Hugo Nys 6-3, 6-4 in yesterday’s championship match.

With their victory, Murray and Soares have boosted their hopes of qualifying for the 2021 Nitto ATP Finals in Turin from November 14 to 21. They are currently eighth in the FedEx ATP Doubles Team Rankings and in the final qualification spot for the season finale.

“The odds of getting to Turin are getting higher every match we win, so that is good,” Murray told the ATP Tour website. “I think we have an over 500-point lead on the team behind us. But in Paris if you win the tournament it is 1000 points, so while we are in a good position, we still need to go to Paris and have a good week there.”

Younger brother Andy has been drawn against American Jenson Brooksby in the opening round of the Paris Masters after becoming the lowest ranked player ever to receive a wildcard entry to the tournament.

Murray won on his last appearance there in 2016, a victory which took him to world number one.

Now, ranked 156, he approaches the event on the back of his first success over a top-ten ranked player this year following his win over Hubert Hurkacz in Vienna last week before his exit at the hands of Carlos Alcaraz.

Meanwhile, Alexander Zverev clinched his fifth title of the year at the Erste Bank Open with a two-set victory over Frances Tiafoe.

The second seed saw off the American 7-5 6-4 in an hour and 36 minutes.

"He didn't let me play the way I wanted to play, tactically he was very good," Zverev said on the ATP Tour website.

"But I am happy with the win and I am happy with my fifth title of the year and I am happy with my first in Vienna, so it was a good day."

Zverev found the breakthrough in the 12th game of the first set and continued to play dominantly, hitting eight aces on his way to victory.

Marin Cilic became just the sixth player to claim 20 tour-level titles when he won the St Petersburg Open with victory over Taylor Fritz in the final.

The Croatian defeated Fritz 7-6 4-6 6-4 to lift the trophy, hitting 12 aces in a match that lasted two hours and 23 minutes.

"During the whole week I think my level was really good. I felt that I can still get my game to a better level and it was a little bit similar today," Cilic said.

Cilic was victorious on his previous outing in St Petersburg, back in 2011, and he rallied after falling one win short of victory in Moscow last week.

Anett Kontaveit won the inaugural Transylvania Open with a two-set victory over home favourite Simona Halep.

The number two seed from Estonia beat Halep 6-2 6-3 in an hour and 10 minutes and did not drop a set in the entire tournament.

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