Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares win opening ATP Finals match at The O2

Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares got off to a winning start in the ATP Finals doubles with a 7-6 (7-5) 4-6 (10-5) win over Michael Venus and Raven Klaasen.

With the absence of Andy Murray and Kyle Edmund in the singles, brother Jamie is Britain's sole representation at the season-ending event at The O2 in London, playing alongside long-term Brazilian playing partner Soares.

The pair, both ranked No 9 in the world, were up against Australian world No 14 Venus and South African world No 15 Klaasen in the first match of the tournament on Sunday - with continued coverage on Sky Sports Arena.

Live Tennis: ATP World Tour Finals

In a tightly-contested first set, which ended 6-6, it was Murray and Soares who prevailed 7-5 in a tense tie-break after the duo had been trailing early on in the match.

Venus and Klaasen again started the second stronger than their opponents - and through an early break - they went 2-0 up before Murray and Soares levelled things at 2-2.

However, Venus and Klaasen regained their composure - and with some precise forehand work - they ran out as 6-4 winners in a 42-minute second set, before Murray and Soares wrapped up the match by winning the decisive tie-break 10-5.

"I think we did really well to win," Murray said. "It was a battle from the first game.

"Obviously, I lost my serve so immediately we were kind of under the pump a bit. We had a few chances at the start of the match, as well, to break back.

"Then we hung in there and we got, what, I guess a bit lucky because it's 5-4, 30-love. The guy was serving great.

"All of a sudden a couple of double-faults creep in, Bruno hits a good return, and all of a sudden it's 5-5.

"I thought we competed really well, especially in both the tie-breaks, played a lot of good tennis when we really needed it. Yeah, [we're] really happy to win the first match."

Murray and Soares have picked up three ATP titles this season at the Mexican Open, Washington Open and Cincinnati Masters before losing the Shanghai Masters final to Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo last month.

Sunday's victory moves them temporarily to the top of the Llodra Santoro four-team group, with Colombian pair Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal facing Alexander Peya and Nikola Mektic later on Sunday.

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