A second Grand Slam title for Murray and Soares

Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares knocked off Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the men’s doubles final match at the 2016 US Open.

On Saturday in a sweltering Arthur Ashe Stadium, the fourth-seeded team added the US Open crown by beating the unseeded Spanish pair of Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 6-2, 6-3.

Last year, Jamie Murray and partner John Peers lost in the US Open men’s doubles final. 

In 2013, Bruno Soares lost in the final, playing with Alexander Peye.

In 2016, Murray and Soares decided to play together and immediately found they had a winning formula by capturing the Australian Open title.

It is the first US Open crown for both Murray and Soares. 

The champions split $625,000, with the runners-up taking home $310,000.

“To win it here is extremely special,” said Soares.

Murray and Soares are the first men’s doubles team to win more than one Grand Slam title in a season since the Bryan brothers won three in 2013.

“It is a great feeling. These tournaments are the hardest ones to win, and all of the best teams are playing,” said Murray.

Murray was runner-up with Peers last year at Wimbledon and the US Open.

The more established doubles players – Murray has won 15 ATP World Tour doubles titles; Soares has 22 – dominated the match by a relentless march to the net. 

It was a throwback to the doubles styles of years ago, as the pair was at the net every point possible.

They put away volleys, pushing the Spaniards on their heels and forcing them to attempt passing shot after passing shot.

As a team, Murray and Soares had 27 winners. Carreno Busta and Garcia-Lopez had 21 unforced errors.

“Bruno is a great partner for me. He makes a lot of returns, which is good for me up at the net,” Murray said of his 34-year-old Brazilian partner.    

Murray, 30, was especially lethal at net, as the left-handed Brit feasted on cutting off balls to finish points with crisp volley winners throughout the one-hour, 18-minute match.

Murray lost his serve to open the match, and from then on, the team never lost serve.

They faced only two break points, those coming against him in the first game of the second set.

The Spaniards were broken three times in the first set. In the second set, Carreno Busta dropped his serve in the second game for the only break.

“It was a dream here, playing in the final,” said Carren Busta, 25. 

“We would have like to have won, but we tried, and we will try to come here next year and win.”

Murray and Soares have already qualified for the elite eight-team field at the season-ending Barclays ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Hence, they will have a chance to finish up the season with another major title.

Murray and Soares each achieved individual milestones. 

Murray is the first British man to win in men’s doubles at the US Open since Roger Taylor in 1971 and 1972.

Soares is the first Brazilian to win the US Open men’s doubles title.

© Copyright 2016 www.elombah.com. Send eyewitness accounts/reports/articles to publisher@elombah.com; follow us on twitter handle @Elombah; like our Facebook page: “Elombah.com”.

Share your thoughts in the comment box below: