On Friday, India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden were defeated 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 by American Rajeev Ram and British Joe Salisbury, making it the third consecutive US Open men’s doubles title in Open history.
The third seeds dropped their rackets and embraced in the court after Ebden’s return arrived in the net on match highlight total the rebound and broaden their series of wins at Flushing Knolls to 18 matches.
“I’ve got to thank my partner,” Ram said at the trophy presentation, where they received a $700,000 check. We have been together for five years. It hasn’t been awesome of seasons, however we made it happen, set forth a great deal of hard effort and recently continued to accept. It amazes me that we are here. Man, I appreciate that. You are beyond belief.”
The partnership was deemed “special” by Salisbury.
“We simply realize we will do the best that we can with it,” he said. ” We will compete fiercely, fight valiantly, and give it our all until the very end. We did exactly that today.”
Ram and Salisbury acknowledged having lost some confidence when they arrived in New York after a three-match losing streak. After the match was over, Salisbury cried into a towel that was on his chair.
“I don’t think I have at any point cried after any matches, particularly not ones that we have won, even at the Huge homeruns,” Salisbury said. ” But, yes, there is something about being here, doing it once more, and I believe doing it after the year we have had. We have encountered difficulties and pretty low points.”
The first set was won by the sixth-seeded Bopanna and Ebden, who broke serve in the first game and won it with a love hold.
When the 43-year-old Bopanna raced across the court and ripped a one-handed backhand winner down the line in the third game, it appeared as though they were carrying the momentum into the second set.
But Ram raised his game, and in the second set, the two players finally broke serve when Bopanna’s forehand went over the net, giving them a 4-2 lead before they leveled the match with a Ram ace out wide.
Ram and Salisbury would not give up their 3-2 lead in the deciding set on a hot and humid day at Arthur Ashe Stadium after an aggressive Bopanna forehand landed wide.
Tom Bundy and Maurice McLoughlin were the last duo to win three consecutive US Open men’s doubles titles from 1912 to 1914.
When Bopanna told the chair umpire to award points to his opponents after Ebden’s winner had grazed his elbow in the third set, he displayed remarkable sportsmanship. He said that having the right mindset was the key to his longevity.
Bopanna stated, “When you change those limitations to possibilities, that’s when you can push all of your limits.” “The moment someone has limitations, when you think that’s the maximum you can do,” Bopanna said.
No. 2 will be the women’s doubles final on Sunday. 12 Vera Zvonareva and Laura Siegmund versus No. 16 Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe. In 2020, Siegemund and Zvonareva became the first team to win the US Open.
