In their 31st Grand Slam appearance as a team, Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah became the first Colombian players to win a Grand Slam men’s doubles title on Saturday at Wimbledon.

The second seeds defeated Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-7(5), 7-6(5), 7-6(6), 6-7(5), 6-3 to lift their first major trophy after four hours and 57 minutes, extending their tour-level winning streak to 10 matches. Before claiming their maiden grass-court tour-level title at the Nature Valley International last month, Cabal and Farah had never earned more than two straight tour-level match wins on the surface as a team.

“For Colombia, it’s huge… We just won Wimbledon for Colombia,” said Cabal. “It’s huge. I don’t know how to explain it, but it’s huge for our country. I hope everybody enjoys us.”

The Colombian pairing, which improves to 34-10 this season, has now clinched four tour-level crowns this season following title runs in Barcelona, Rome and Eastbourne. Cabal and Farah own 15 team trophies from 31 championship matches.

In their maiden Wimbledon quarter-final on Tuesday, Cabal and Farah were forced to save five match points against Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau to reach the semi-finals. The all-Colombian team was appearing in its second Grand Slam championship match after falling in straight sets to Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic in the 2018 Australian Open final.

In a final dominated by serve, each of the opening four sets needed tie-breaks to decide the outcome. Sharp reactions earned the French pairing a one-set lead, with Roger-Vasselin coming out on top in a net duel against Farah before firing a forehand return at Cabal’s laces to seal the opening set.

Cabal and Farah continued to pressure the 11th seeds, rallying from 0/3 and 3/5 down in the second and third-set tie-breaks to move within touching distance of the title. After three hours and 34 minutes, Mahut and Roger-Vasselin gained the first service break of the match to move into a 3-1 lead in the fourth set and, despite dropping serve in the following game, the French team forced a decider after converting its third set point.

After a brief delay to allow the Centre Court roof to close ahead of the final set, it was Cabal and Farah who made the faster start upon the resumption of play. The Colombians found their timing on return in a marathon fourth game, breaking serve on their fifth break point with powerful play from the baseline.

But Cabal and Farah could not consolidate the break, as Roger-Vasselin fired a forehand return winner into the corner to earn the opportunity to serve at 2-3. But the second seeds soon regained their advantage in the eighth game, focussing their attack on Mahut at the net with power from the baseline. Cabal and Farah recovered from 0/30 down in the final game to take the title, converting their first championship point as Farah fired a sharp-angled backhand volley winner. Both players collapsed to the turf in celebration and soon climbed towards the players’ box in celebration.

“Once you’re [at] 4-3 and you break, you know you [have] got to hold once and you’re champion of Wimbledon… [Juan Sebastian] showed his courage, showed his emotions, how calm he is… Pure joy,” said Farah.

Mahut and Roger-Vasselin were aiming to become the third all-French pair in the Open Era to win the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon by winning their first Grand Slam trophy as a team. The French pairing defeated three-time winners Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan and 2017 titlists Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo in four sets en route to the final.

Cabal and Farah receive 2000 ATP Doubles Ranking points and split £540,000 in prize money. Mahut and Roger-Vasselin gain 1200 points and share £270,000.

“Once we come back to the court, I seriously had a second wind. I felt so good again. I feel like we played unreal that fifth set. We really got our returns in [and] put the pressure [on],” said Cabal. “To do this for Colombia… it’s just crazy. I mean, to be part of it is just amazing.”

Did You Know?
This is the sixth consecutive Grand Slam event where the men’s doubles champions have been won by a pair of players from the same nation.

Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer will meet for the fourth time at Wimbledon when they take to Centre Court for Sunday’s final. This is the 48th match in their FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry and their first on grass since Djokovic prevailed in the 2015 final at The Championships.

ATPTour.com looks at 15 of the stats you need to know ahead of Djokovic and Federer’s latest encounter:

• At least one of Djokovic and Federer has reached the final in all but two editions of The Championships since 2003.
• Djokovic has won his past four matches against Federer and eight of the past 10.
• They have faced off in 13 of the 14 most recent seasons on the ATP Tour
• Djokovic is competing in his 25th major final, Federer his 31st.
• Their most recent clash at the 2018 Rolex Paris Masters, won by Djokovic in a third-set tie-break, was named “Best Match Of 2018” by ATPTour.com
• Both men have won more matches here than any other Grand Slam (Djokovic 71-10, Federer 101-12).
• Federer became the only player to win 100 matches at a Grand Slam with his quarter-final victory over Kei Nishikori.
• Federer is making his 21st consecutive appearance at Wimbledon. He’s the only player from the draw in his debut appearance (1999) to still be active in singles.
• At 37 years and 340 days, Federer will become the oldest man in the Open Era to win a Grand Slam title if he prevails.
• Djokovic is looking to win his fourth major title since turning 30, which only Federer, Rafael Nadal and Rod Laver have accomplished.
• The Serbian looks to become the first man in the Open Era over the age of 30 to successfully defend a Wimbledon title.
• Djokovic has been aggressive on returns throughout the tournament, racking up 71 break points and converting on 34 (48%). He leads the tournament in return games won (34 of 89, 38%).
• The 32-year-old has been efficient in conserving energy, spending 12 hours and 54 minutes on court to reach the semi-finals.
• Djokovic has held serve in 86 of 92 service games (93%), saving 15 of 24 break points. The World No. 1 has only been broken twice in his past four matches.
• Federer is competing in his 12th Wimbledon final, more than any other player in tournament history.

More On Djokovic & Federer
* Preview: Federer Battles Djokovic For Title
* Federer & Djokovic At SW19
* Roger & Novak: Every Match Ever Played
* Mission Impossible: Slowing Down The Big 3 At SW19
* Federer Earns Historic 100th Win

Djokovic and Federer’s Three FedEx ATP Head2Head Meetings At Wimbledon