Coming into the doubles match, the scores between the Czech Republic and France were locked at 1-1 following the first day. Wimbledon champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut came through in five sets 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 against Lukas Rosol and Radek Stepanek. Going into the third and final day, the French lead 2-1 with the reversed singles to come.
Herbert/Mahut race away to a one set lead
The French pair got off to a quick start. After holding their serve to get the match underway, they put the Czech's under pressure from the off. After having their first break point saved, Herbert attacked the Rosol serve and hit a return winner to go 2-0 up. The Wimbledon champions consolidated for 3-0. Stepanek and Rosol eventually got on the scoreboard in the fourth game. However, that would be the only game they would get in the set.
In the fifth game, Rosol was the man to get broken gifting the ball to Herbert who tucked away a simple smash at the net for 5-1. Nicolas Mahut comfortably closed out the set out to love for 6-1. The French pair were dominant on their serves winning 79 percent behind their first serve and 75 percent on their second while Rosol and Stepanek struggled. The Czech pair only managed to win 41 percent of points on their first serves but faired better on their second with 60 percent of points won.
Rosol/Stepanek come alive, win the second set
Despite having the momentum with them, the French pair did not get the start like they did in the first set. In just the second game at 40-30, Stepanek finished off the point with a smash at the net and the Czech's suddenly had the momentum on their side. After saving a break point, Rosol then held and consolidated the break and the home crowd had seen a change in score and performance. In the next game, Herbert and Mahut struggled and were forced to save two break points before going on to hold and get their first game in the set.
Rosol and Stepanek then faced and saved two break points en route to a 4-1 lead. In the seventh game, the Czech's were broken by Herbert who saw a gap down the line and precisely hit a return to which Stepanek couldn't reach. However, despite being pumped up, the Czech team fought and broke immediately back to regain the break they originally had. With the score now at 5-3, Stepanek brought the Czech's level in the match by winning the set 6-3.
Lone break put Herbert/Mahut back in front
With three holds of serves at the start of the third, the fourth game would see the first break point chances of the set. The world number one French pair raced away to a love-40 lead and Stepanek saved one of the breaks, but it would be Herbert to break and put France 3-1 up. The set regardless of the lone break was still tight and with three holds of serves, Herbert and Mahut had the chance to secure the set but were denied Rosol who saved two break points and handing the French the chance of taking the set.
Rosol gladly took the responsibility on and safely guided the pair to a two sets to one lead. The number one and two ranked doubles team respectively were as solid as ever on serve winning 12 from 13 points (93 percent) behind their first serve and eight from nine (89 percent) on their second serve while the Czech's struggled only managing to win 62 and 54 percent on their first and second serve points.
Rosol/Stepanek fight back to force a fifth
With both teams holding their first service games with ease, the third would see the first break. With the momentum changing one again towards the French pair, they took advantage with Rosol netting a shot into the net. Herbert the world number two in doubles held serve and consolidated for 3-1. Four games passed and with the French still ahead by one single break, the Czech pair then turned it up and so did the crowd.
In the seventh game, the home team broke back at the first time of asking for 4-4 and then consolidated and went ahead at 5-4 for the first time in the set. The pair were then forced to save three break points in the following game before going to break Herbert and Mahut to clinch the set and force a fifth. The crowd were on their feet making as much noise as possible at this moment as well as Stepanek conducting the crowd.
Herbert/Mahut put the French two one up in the tie.
The French pair quietened the crowd down pretty quickly by getting the early break at the start of the fifth set from the Rosol serve. For the remainder of the set there were no breaks of serve and having broken in the first game, Herbert and Mahut clinched the victory for France and put them in the driving seat ahead of the final day.
The number one pair won 89 percent of points on their first serve but levels dropped and they only won half the points on their second serve. Rosol and Stepanek on the other hand, won 72 percent on their first serve and half on their second serves.