**2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles**
**Definition:**
The 2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles was the doubles tennis event held as part of the 2002 Mercedes Cup, an ATP Tour tournament played on outdoor clay courts in Stuttgart, Germany. The competition featured professional male tennis players competing in pairs for the doubles title.
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## 2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles
The 2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles was a professional men’s tennis tournament held in Stuttgart, Germany, as part of the ATP Tour. Played on outdoor clay courts, the event attracted a competitive field of doubles teams vying for the championship title. The tournament is notable for its strong clay-court specialists and served as an important stop in the European clay-court season.
### Tournament Overview
The Mercedes Cup, held annually in Stuttgart, Germany, is a well-established ATP event that traditionally takes place in July. The 2002 edition continued this tradition, featuring both singles and doubles competitions. The doubles draw included a mix of established doubles specialists and singles players who also competed in doubles.
The doubles event was played in a knockout format, with teams progressing through rounds including the first round, quarterfinals, semifinals, and the final. Matches were contested in best-of-three sets, with the standard scoring system applied.
### Defending Champions
The defending champions from the previous year were Jiří Novák and David Rikl, a Czech doubles team known for their strong partnership and consistent performances on clay courts. However, in 2002, only David Rikl returned to defend the title, partnering with a different player, as Jiří Novák did not participate in the doubles event that year.
### Seeds
The tournament featured seeded teams based on their ATP doubles rankings and recent performances. Seeds are typically given to the top-ranked teams to recognize their status and to separate them in the draw, preventing early-round matchups between the strongest pairs.
The seeded teams for the 2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles were as follows:
1. Joshua Eagle / Sandon Stolle
2. David Rikl / Radek Štěpánek
3. Petr Pála / Pavel Vízner
4. Tomáš Cibulec / Leoš Friedl
These teams were expected to perform well and were favorites to reach the later stages of the tournament.
### Draw and Results
The doubles draw consisted of 16 teams, including the seeded pairs and unseeded entrants. The competition unfolded over several days, with matches played in a single-elimination format.
#### Early Rounds
In the first round, several seeded teams faced challenging matches against unseeded opponents. The top seeds Joshua Eagle and Sandon Stolle advanced comfortably, demonstrating their experience and teamwork. The second seeds, David Rikl and Radek Štěpánek, also progressed, showing strong form on clay.
Unseeded teams caused some upsets, highlighting the depth of competition. Notably, the team of Guillermo Cañas and Rainer Schüttler, both primarily singles players, made a significant impact with their aggressive play and tactical awareness.
#### Quarterfinals
The quarterfinal stage featured intense matches, with the seeded teams generally prevailing. The third seeds, Petr Pála and Pavel Vízner, showcased their clay-court prowess by defeating their opponents in straight sets. The fourth seeds, Tomáš Cibulec and Leoš Friedl, also advanced, setting up intriguing semifinal matchups.
#### Semifinals
The semifinals saw the top seeds Joshua Eagle and Sandon Stolle face the fourth seeds Tomáš Cibulec and Leoš Friedl. Eagle and Stolle won a closely contested match, leveraging their experience and strong net play to secure their place in the final.
On the other side, David Rikl and Radek Štěpánek met the third seeds Petr Pála and Pavel Vízner. Rikl and Štěpánek, combining Rikl’s doubles expertise and Štěpánek’s all-court game, emerged victorious in a tight encounter, setting up a final between the first and second seeds.
### Final
The doubles final was contested between the top-seeded pair Joshua Eagle and Sandon Stolle and the second-seeded duo David Rikl and Radek Štěpánek. The match was a showcase of high-quality doubles tennis, featuring strong baseline rallies, precise volleys, and strategic serving.
Eagle and Stolle took the first set with aggressive net play and effective communication. However, Rikl and Štěpánek fought back in the second set, using their clay-court skills to break serve and level the match. The final set was closely contested, with both teams exchanging breaks and holding serve under pressure.
Ultimately, Joshua Eagle and Sandon Stolle triumphed, winning the final with a scoreline of 6–4, 3–6, 6–3. Their victory marked a significant achievement in their partnership and added an ATP doubles title to their careers.
### Significance and Impact
The 2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles highlighted the competitive nature of ATP doubles tennis on clay courts. The success of Eagle and Stolle underscored the importance of teamwork, experience, and adaptability in doubles play. For David Rikl, reaching the final with a new partner demonstrated his continued excellence in doubles competition.
The tournament also provided valuable ranking points and prize money, contributing to the players’ standings on the ATP doubles circuit. The event served as preparation for the upcoming hard-court season and the US Open, allowing players to refine their games and build confidence.
### Player Profiles
#### Joshua Eagle
An Australian doubles specialist, Joshua Eagle was known for his strong serve and volley skills. Throughout his career, he achieved multiple ATP doubles titles and was recognized for his tactical awareness and partnership chemistry.
#### Sandon Stolle
Also from Australia, Sandon Stolle was a prominent doubles player with a successful career highlighted by several ATP titles and deep runs in Grand Slam tournaments. His consistent baseline play and net skills made him a formidable doubles competitor.
#### David Rikl
A Czech doubles expert, David Rikl was renowned for his clay-court abilities and strategic play. He achieved numerous ATP doubles titles and was a regular contender in major tournaments, often partnering with fellow Czech players.
#### Radek Štěpánek
Known for his versatile all-court game, Radek Štěpánek combined solid baseline strokes with effective net play. While also successful in singles, he had a notable doubles career, often partnering with experienced players to achieve strong results.
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## Summary
The 2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles event was a competitive and engaging tournament on the ATP Tour, showcasing top doubles talent on clay courts. The Australian pair Joshua Eagle and Sandon Stolle captured the title after a hard-fought final against the Czech duo David Rikl and Radek Štěpánek. The tournament reinforced the significance of teamwork and adaptability in doubles tennis and contributed to the players’ rankings and momentum for the remainder of the season.
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**Meta Description:**
The 2002 Mercedes Cup – Doubles was a professional men’s tennis event held in Stuttgart, Germany, where Joshua Eagle and Sandon Stolle won the doubles title. The tournament featured top-ranked teams competing on outdoor clay courts as part of the ATP Tour.