Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek seal maiden US Open

Mangaloretoday/NDTV

New York, Sept 10: Leander Paes won his eighth men’s doubles Grand Slam title, and 14th overall, as he combined with Radek Stepanek to clinch US Open trophy with a dominating victory over Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares in the title clash, in New York on Sunday.

The fourth seeded Indo-Czech pair demolished the second seeded Austria-Brazilian pair 6-1 in 6-3 in one hour and 12 minutes at Arthur Ashe stadium.


It was a perfect climax for Paes and Stepanek, who came into the US Open with title in Winston Salem Open, as they won their second major title together, having won Australian Open last year.

 

It was third US Open title for 40-year-old Paes and the previous two had also come with Czech partners. In 2006, the Indian won with Martin Damm and in 2009 with Lukas Dlouhy.

Last year at the US Open, Paes had ended runner-up with Stepanek, losing to Bryan brothers.


Now Paes has 14 major titles in his cupboard, including six mixed doubles trophies. Stepanek has two Grand Slam titles, both with Paes.

It was one of the most lop-sided US Open title match as Peya and Soares failed to put up a fight. They had no clue whatsoever on how to counter the rampaging Indo-Czech combine.

Peya also required a medical timeout for a back problem in the second set while trailing 1-3. Peya was in pain but did not give up and even went on to hold his serve in that game.

Paes hit a forehand winner to earn the championship point and then hit a backhand volley to seal the trophy win.

Paes and Stepanek 23 winners to eight of their rivals. They won 66 points while Peya and Soares 40.

Paes acknowledged Stepanek’s resilience as he came back well from a back surgery early this year.

"Find someone from Czech republic that’s my advise to anyone who is looking for a doubles partner. They are hard working guys. I have to thank him. He had lot of adversities this season, coming out of injury and surgery it’s amazing to stand here. I have to thank him," Paes said.

"It is no shame to lose to these guys," said Peya.

Peya and Soares struggled to hold serve and too many unforced errors only made the job tough for them.

In contrast, whatever Paes and Stepanek did, yielded them desired result. Yet again Stepanek’s serve and Paes’ net play was superb.

Peya and Soares had two break chances -- in the first and fifth games in the opening set -- but could convert none.

The back problem to Peya in the second set reduced the match to a formality as the second seeds could not have challenged their in-form rivals with an injury handicap.

At the start, Peya hit a crushing forehand winner to earn a breakpoint in the very first game but Stepanek served well to hold and what followed was complete annihilation of pair.

Paes and Stepanek raced to a 5-0 lead as they broke both Peya and Soares comfortably.

Soares held game number six to save themselves blushes as Paes served out the set in the next game.

 

Unstoppable Serena Williams beats Azarenka to win her 17th Slam title

 

World number one Serena Williams captured her fifth US Open title, and second in a row, by outlasting second-ranked Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1 Sunday to claim her 17th career Grand Slam crown.

The 31-year-old American became the oldest Open Era women’s winner in US Open history, 293 days older than Margaret Court when she set the prior mark in 1973, and the third-oldest Grand Slam women’s champion of the Open Era.

Williams won $3.6 million, including a $1 million bonus for her success in US open tuneup events.

She is the first top-seeded champion since Justine Henin in 2007 and the first woman to defend the US Open crown since Kim Clijsters in 2010.

Williams won a rematch of last year’s US Open final that gave her and Azarenka a combined total of six of the eight major titles from the past two years.