The eighth-seeded duo of John Peers and Jamie Murray advanced to their second straight Grand Slam final on Thursday afternoon. They outlasted the American team of Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey in a third set tiebreak 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (7).
Americans Broken Early
The match started swiftly with both teams holding quickly to open the match to a 1-1 start. In their second service game, the American pairing of Johnson-Querrey were quickly in a 0-30 hold as Peers-Murray jumped on their service game. The 8th seeds kept the pressure up as they forced Johnson-Querrey into a couple more errors that netted Peers-Murray a 2-1 lead.
They would consolidate at-love for a 3-1 margin after four games. Murray-Peers would take the set at 6-4. The 8th seeds saved all four of their break points and cashed in on one of five chances off the Americans' racquets for the key difference maker. Peers-Murray were rock solid with their 1st serve for the set, winning 21 of 26 points.
Second Set Decided Late
The unseeded American duo started on serve to open the set and they laid down the law with a quick love hold. Neither team would budge much in their service games with easy holds for both teams all the way to 4-4. In the ninth game with the Americans serving, things were a little bit sloppy. A double fault and an unforced error got the game out to deuce for the first time all set.
Johnson-Querrey would manage to hold for a 5-4 lead. The rest of the set would consist of more service holds exchanged as the set went to a tiebreak. The Americans took quick control on the third point with a backhand winner that pushed them out to a 3-1 lead in the breaker. They would lose just one more point as they evened the match with a 7-2 win in the tiebreak. Both teams served lights out in the set with Johnson-Querrey winning 30 of 36 points on serve while Murray-Peers won 26 of 30. The Americans smashed 18 winners to 13 for the 8th seeds.
Late Twists And Turns In The Third Set
The third set went to form until the eighth game with Murray-Peers holding a 4-3 lead. This looked to be the beginning of the end for the American duo. With Steve Johnson serving, the Americans struggled in the rallies as a Sam Querrey backhand volley floated long to hand Peers-Murray a break for a 5-3 lead. John Peers would have the first shot to serve for the match.
It was ominous from the get-go as Johnson ripped a vicious forehand to start the scoring. Two straight double faults from Peers would give Johnson-Querrey triple break point. On the third chance, Querrey ripped a big forehand down the doubles alley for a winner that secured the break. Querrey would then follow that up with a quick service hold and it was all back even at 5-5. Jamie Murray would do the same to give the 8th seeds the 6-5 margin and put all the pressure on Steve Johnson to get his team to a final set tiebreak. He got them there with ease as his big serves could not be handled for a love hold.
Third Set Tiebreak Features Match Points For Both Teams
In the breaker, Querrey would hand his team a 3-1 lead off a nifty backhand return off the Murray serve. Murray got his racquet on it with a chip return that sailed long. The teams would exchange holds to 5-4 from there with Querrey then having a shot to close the match. On his first serve though, he double faulted to even the score 5-5. Johnson would hit a great backhand volley at the net to secure a 6-5 lead and match point for his team. With Murray serving, it was a tense exchange between all four players at the net that wound up with a fantastic piece of defending from Murray.
He stuck his racquet up almost in self defense as the ball hit and then landed just on the line for a winner to 6-6. Murray would hold to give his team a 7-6 lead and a match point of their own. Steve Johnson served to keep his team alive and Querrey jumped in front of a return back as he smacked a forehand in to 7-7. Johnson landed a huge serve next, but it found its way back and a Querrey shot floated out to give Murray-Peers their second match point. With Peers serving, he would not crack this time. He got his serve in and Querrey sent a shot that flew well past the line to hand the 8th seeds a 6-4, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (7) win.
Another Final For Murray-Peers
This marks the second straight Grand Slam Final for John Peers and Jamie Murray. The duo made the Wimbledon Final in July, losing to Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau in straight sets. They have won six ATP titles together in the past three years. They face the 12th seeded French pairing of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut. They are also appearing in their second Grand Slam Final of the season. Herbert-Mahut made the Australian Open Final, losing to Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini in straight sets. The two teams have played once this season with Herbert and Mahut winning 6-3, 7-6 (5) on grass at the Topshelf Open in The Netherlands.