New York, Sep 14 (Inditop.com) India’s Leander Paes and his Czech partner Lukas Dlouhy came back from a set down to win the US Open men’s doubles title, their second Grand Slam title of the year.
The fourth-seeded pair of Paes and Dlouhy won 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 over the third-seeded pair of India’s Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles of Bahamas at Flushing Meadows here Sunday. Paes and Dlouhy had earlier won the French Open.
It was the first time the two estranged Indian tennis stars were playing against each other in a Grand Slam final. Paes and Bhupathi had forged one of the world’s best doubles partnerships in the 1990s and had won three Grand Slam titles together before they decided to part ways.
Since the split, both Paes and Bhupathi have been bitter rivals on court and Sunday was no different, as neither was ready to give an inch.
But Paes, who picked up his sixth Grand Slam title, had the last laugh.
“It’s great to win it here finally because I was in the final for two years running and finally I win it here,” said Dlouhy, who also made the 2007 final with his previous partner, Pavel Vizner.
Paes said that he is having the best tour and thanked Dlouhy for the success.
“This is the best year I’ve ever had on tour. Lukas thanks for the two grand slam titles this year and also for being my brother on the tour,” said Paes.
The 36-year-old Paes and Zimbabwe’s Cara Black finished runners-up in the mixed doubles final here.
rounak