Titouan Droguet and Kyrian Jacquet made an unforgettable start to their partnership by winning the Millennium Estoril Open doubles title, claiming their first ATP Tour crown as a team.
Playing together for the first time at Tour level, the French duo edged Brazil's Orlando Luz and Rafael Matos 7-6(2), 6-7(4), [11-9] in a gripping final that lasted more than two hours.
The match was decided by the finest of margins. Droguet and Jacquet saved all six break points they faced before holding their nerve in a dramatic match tie-break.
The French pair appeared to have one hand on the trophy after opening a 9-6 lead in the deciding tie-break, but Luz and Matos fought back to level the score. Droguet and Jacquet stayed composed and eventually converted their fourth championship point to seal a memorable victory.
The title marks the first ATP Tour doubles trophy for both players and caps an impressive week in Estoril.
Their breakthrough run also included a notable upset over top seeds Luke Johnson and Jan Zielinski, underlining their potential despite entering the tournament without any Tour-level experience as a pairing.
For Jacquet, the triumph was especially significant after arriving in Estoril with a 0-4 record in ATP Tour doubles matches.
The victory provides both Frenchmen with a major confidence boost and could be the start of a promising partnership on the ATP Tour after an impressive debut that exceeded expectations.
