Jamie Murray & Soares win US Open doubles title
Jamie Murray became the first British man for 44 years to win the US Open doubles title as he and Brazil’s Bruno Soares dominated the final in New York.
Murray and Soares, seeded fourth, beat Spain’s unseeded Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2 6-3.
It gives Murray and Soares a second major title after they won their first Grand Slam together at the Australian Open in January.
Scot Murray, 30, also held the number one ranking earlier this year.
Murray is the first British man to win the US Open doubles title since Roger Taylor, alongside South African Cliff Drysdale, in 1972, while Soares, 34, becomes the first Brazilian to win more than one Grand Slam doubles title.
“These tournaments are the hardest to win,” said Murray, who also won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title in 2007.
“I’ve got a great partner in Bruno who makes a lot of returns for me and long may it continue.”
Murray and Soares went into the final in confident mood after beating defending champions and top seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut in the semi-finals, and they outclassed surprise finalists Carreno Busta and Garcia-Lopez.
The Spaniards broke serve in the opening game but Murray and Soares levelled immediately and went on a run of seven straight games to take a grip on the contest.
There was some concern for Murray when he called the trainer to work on his neck midway through the first set, but it did not have any visible effect on his performance.
An interception volley at the net by the British Davis Cup winner earned an early break in the second set and, with Soares dictating matters from the back of the court, they left little for Carreno Busta and Garcia-Lopez to attack.
Murray had failed to serve out the match at this year’s Australian Open, but he showed no nerves this time as he wrapped up victory after only 78 minutes.
“I am glad we got together,” said Soares. “It is our first season. To win in Australia and here is extremely special.”