1997 Italian Open – Men's doubles

Byron Black and Grant Connell were the defending champions, but competed this year with different partners.

Men's doubles
1997 Italian Open
Champions	Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor
Runners-up	Byron Black Alex O'Brien
Score	6–3, 4–6, 7–5
Draw	32
Seeds	8

Main article: 1997 Italian Open (tennis)

Connell teamed up with Jim Grabb and lost in second round to David Adams and Andrei Olhovskiy.

Black teamed up with Alex O'Brien and lost in the final 6–3, 4–6, 7–5 against Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor.

Seeds

1. Todd Woodbridge / Mark Woodforde (first round)
2. Jacco Eltingh / Paul Haarhuis (second round)
3. Mark Knowles / Daniel Nestor (champions)
4. Yevgeny Kafelnikov / Daniel Vacek (second round)
5. Byron Black / Alex O'Brien (final)
6. Ellis Ferreira / Patrick Galbraith (second round)
7. Rick Leach / Jonathan Stark (semifinals)
8. David Adams / Andrei Olhovskiy (quarterfinals)

Draw

Key

• Q = Qualifier
• WC = Wild card
• LL = Lucky loser
• Alt = Alternate
• ITF = ITF entry
• PR = Protected ranking
• SR = Special ranking
• SE = Special exempt
• JE = Junior exempt
• JR = Junior Accelerator Programme entrant
• CO = College Accelerator Programme entrant
• NG = Next Gen Accelerator Program entrant
• w/o = Walkover
• r = Retired
• d = Defaulted

Finals

	Semifinals							Final
	7	Rick Leach Jonathan Stark	5	2
	5	Byron Black Alex O'Brien	7	6
								5	Byron Black Alex O'Brien	3	6	5
								3	Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor	6	4	7
	3	Mark Knowles Daniel Nestor	7	7
		Sandon Stolle Cyril Suk	6	6

Top half

	First round							Second round							Quarterfinals							Semifinals
	1	T Woodbridge M Woodforde	3	5
		P Albano À Corretja	6	7					P Albano À Corretja	6	6	4
		G Muller J Tarango	6	4	6				G Muller J Tarango	7	4	6
		M Oosting J Siemerink	4	6	4											G Muller J Tarango	3	4
		N Broad P Norval	5	6											7	R Leach J Stark	6	6
		J Eagle A Florent	7	7					J Eagle A Florent	3	4
		D Ekerot P Nyborg	6	4	3			7	R Leach J Stark	6	6
	7	R Leach J Stark	4	6	6																	7	R Leach J Stark	5	2
	4	Y Kafelnikov D Vacek	6	6																		5	B Black A O'Brien	7	6
		M Barnard HJ Davids	3	4				4	Y Kafelnikov D Vacek	4	6	3
		L Lobo J Sánchez	7	6	6				L Lobo J Sánchez	6	3	6
		S Melville F Wibier	6	7	2											L Lobo J Sánchez	4	0
		O Delaître F Santoro	6	6											5	B Black A O'Brien	6	6
	Q	M Martelli D Sanguinetti	2	4					O Delaître F Santoro	3	2
		D Johnson F Montana	5	3				5	B Black A O'Brien	6	6
	5	B Black A O'Brien	7	6

Bottom half

	First round							Second round							Quarterfinals							Semifinals
	6	E Ferreira P Galbraith	6	6
		P Kilderry P Vízner	3	4				6	E Ferreira P Galbraith	3	3
		M Philippoussis P Rafter	7	6					M Philippoussis P Rafter	6	6
		T Nijssen J Waite	6	4												M Philippoussis P Rafter	3	6
		T Kronemann D Macpherson	6	3											3	M Knowles D Nestor	6	7
	Q	C Brandi F Messori	7	6				Q	C Brandi F Messori	7	2	2
		L Pimek B Talbot	4	6	3			3	M Knowles D Nestor	6	6	6
	3	M Knowles D Nestor	6	2	6																	3	M Knowles D Nestor	7	7
	8	D Adams A Olhovskiy	6	6																			C Suk S Stolle	6	6
	WC	J Courier A Gaudenzi	3	4				8	D Adams A Olhovskiy	5	6	7
		G Connell J Grabb	6	3	7				G Connell J Grabb	7	4	6
	WC	O Camporese D Nargiso	1	6	6										8	D Adams A Olhovskiy	5	2
		C Suk S Stolle	7	7												C Suk S Stolle	7	6
	WC	S Hiršzon G Ivanišević	6	5					C Suk S Stolle	6	7
	WC	A Medvedev M Ríos	6	1				2	J Eltingh P Haarhuis	4	5
	2	J Eltingh P Haarhuis	7	6

External links

• Official results archive (ATP)
• Official results archive (ITF)