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| �1998 Gianni Ciacca/ATP |
| Eltingh/Haarhuis on their last tournament together. |
Eltingh/Haarhuis look to end legendary partnership
Who will be the No. 1 team?
The Phoenix/ATP Tour World Doubles Championship in Hartford this week is where the best teams on the ATP Tour get together and battle it out. But this year is also about an individual. Jacco Eltingh, who will be wrapping up his glorious eleven-year professional career as he has announced his retirement at the end of the season. And he is going out in style.
Eltingh is entering his final tournament as the No. 1 doubles player in the world and is part of the No. 1 team with his long-time partner Paul Haarhuis. Eltingh/Haarhuis have won 38 doubles titles in their career - the second most among active teams behind the Woodies.
Their 41-4 match record gives them the best winning percentage on the Tour this year, and they have reached nine finals in just twelve tournaments, winning a Tour-best eight titles, including Roland Garros and Wimbledon. Eltingh also teamed up with Jonas Bjorkman to win the Australian Open title. He missed the US Open to be present when his son Lars was born.
Close on the heels of Eltingh/Haarhuis are Bhupathi/Paes, who reached the Hartford final last year on their first appearance. They are just 183 points behind the Dutchmen in the ATP Tour Team Rankings, having won six out of eight finals this year. In Paris, they defeated Eltingh/Haarhuis in the final.
Third are the Woodies, the most successful team of the 90s. The could still become the No. 1 team, but need to won the title undefeated, with Eltingh/Haarhuis and Bhupathi/Paes not reaching the semifinals. By qualifying for the eighth time in a row, however, they are breaking the record for consecutive years held by Fleming/McEnroe and are tying Casal/Sanchez for most apearances.
The No. 4 team are Knowles/Nestor. Rib injuries to both have limited their time together to just twelve events, but they have played consistently, reaching four finals and winning the Mercedes Super 9 in Cincinnati.
Ferreira/Leach only teamed up this year and won two titles in six finals. Leach, who won Hartford last year with Jonathan Stark, has won at least one doubles title every year since 1987 - the best such streak among active singles and doubles players.
Stolle Suk, the sixth team, are US Open champions, and Delaitre/Santoro are the hottest team since the US Open: They have won three titles since and moved from No. 16 to 7. Americans Johnson/Montana, the last team to qualify, have won four titles this year, including the Mercedes Super 9 in Hamburg.
