Venus and Puetz knocked out of Roland Garros

Michael Venus and his German partner Tim Puetz have bowed out in the third round at Roland Garros. The 7^th seeds have been beaten in three sets by 12^th seeds Jean-Julien Rojer and Marcelo Arevalo. 

The Dutch /El Salvadoran combination have won 6-4 2-6 6-1 in an hour and 37 minutes. 

It’s a disappointing result for Venus who won the 2017 French Open doubles title with American Ryan Harrison. 

Venus and Puetz started well and had a break point in Rojer’s opening service game but they couldn’t convert and the decisive first set break came on Puetz’s serve in the 7^th game. 

After losing the opening set in 41 minutes Venus and Puetz hit back in the second. They broke Rojer’s serve twice and looked to be on track for a place in the quarter finals after winning the set in 28 minutes. 

But they made a dreadful start to the decider as first Puetz and then Venus dropped server to trail 3-0. They did get a break back off Rojer in the next game before Puetz dropped serve again and there would be no dramatic comeback. 

Meanwhile Kiwi Erin Routliffe and her Polish partner Alicja Rosolska play their third-round match at Roland Garros tonight against Belgian Greet Minnen and Hungary’s Anna Bondar.