Jamie Murray’s magnificent US Open campaign didn’t produce the happy ending he was after with defeat in a high-quality final of the men’s doubles with John Peers.
Murray, the first British player in the final of the event since 1972, and Peers were in their second Grand Slam final in a row after a fantastic Wimbledon but went down 6-4, 6-4 to talented French duo Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert.
The 2015 Aegon Championships winners also knocked out Dom Inglot in the semi-finals and clinched their first Grand Slam title on the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Australian, Peers, and Murray started strongly and went 0-40 up on the Mahut serve but couldn’t find the breakthrough before Peers then also had to recover from 0-40 on his own service.
After nearly falling 5-4 behind themselves No.12 seeds Mahut and Herbert forced the opener by breaking the Peers serve.
Some pinpoint serving was on show in the second with it going all the way to 5-4 before the Australian Open finalists made their move.
With Herbert playing some incredible tennis they forced a match point on the Murray serve and took it after one of the most thrilling points you will ever see on a tennis court with all four players playing their part.
Murray, who will now head to Glasgow for the Aegon GB Davis Cup Team’s semi-final with Australia, leaves New York as the first British man to ever compete in back-to-back Grand Slam doubles finals.
Straight after the match, Murray said: “The match point was the greatest point I have ever played in! Fair play to those guys they played a great tournament and have been playing well all year.
“We didn’t get too many chances. We have got a lot to be proud of though, have played a lot of good tennis and are heading in the right direction.
“I am now really looking forward to getting back to playing in Glasgow in the Davis Cup.”
Fact
- With their results at Flushing Meadows it looks likely that Murray and Peers will reach the ATP World Tour finals in November
Jamie Murray & John Peers route to the final
- R1: Denis Novikov & Bjorn Fratangelo 6-3, 6-2
- R2: Santiago Giraldo & Rameez Junaid 6-1, 7-5
- R3: Phillip Oswald & Adil Shamasdin 6-4, 6-4.
- QF: Marcin Matkowski & Nenad Zimonjic 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4)
- SF: Sam Querrey & Steve Johnson 6-4, 6-7(2), 7-6(7)