Jamie bags his fourth US Open doubles title
Jamie Murray ensured some British success at the US Open yesterday by defending the Mixed Doubles title with America’s Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
While brother Andy skipped Flushing Meadows to build up his fitness ahead of his return to top-level singles after hip surgery, Jamie ensured some silverware would be going back to Scotland.
The 33-year-old claimed his seventh Grand Slam doubles title, and fifth in mixed, with a 6-2 6-3 victory over top seeds Chan Hao-ching and Michael Venus.
A break of the Venus serve, courtesy of a stunning Mattek-Sands return, gave the Dunblane-Minnesota alliance the early initiative.
Murray’s instinctive volley then secured the double break and the opening set was wrapped up in 27 minutes.
Mattek-Sands’ presence had ensured the backing of the home crowd on Arthur Ashe, and they roared with delight when her backhand return whizzed past Venus on championship point.
Murray, who also won this title in 2017 with Martina Hingis, said: “We played amazing the whole two weeks, a lot of great tennis.
“It’s easier playing on the big courts, I know Beth loves it, playing in front of lots of people and she played an amazing match.
“She says I’m the yin to her yang. We’re really happy to win again.”
Meanwhile, Rafael Nadal knows the door is open for him to overhaul Roger Federer and become the all-time Grand Slam record holder.
Nadal is favourite to beat Russian Daniil Medvedev in today’s US Open Men’ Singles final and lift a 19th major trophy.
Federer holds the men’s record of 20 Grand Slams and, at 38, his opportunities to win another are waning, making the two match points the Swiss great squandered against Novak Djokovic in this year’s Wimbledon final all the harder to bear.
Fitness permitting, the 33-year-old Spaniard has at least a couple more Roland Garros wins in him, so he is well aware victory at Flushing Meadows – where Djokovic, 32, was a big favourite until injury got the better of him – could be hugely significant when the final silverware is totted up.
“Yes, but I always say the same – we’re still playing,” said Nadal.
“When I arrived here, my goal was to produce a chance to compete for the big thing again. Here I am.
“I’ve given myself another chance, as I did at Wimbledon, as I did in Australia, as I did at Roland Garros.
“I’m happy about my career. I’m very happy about what I’m doing. I’m going to keep working hard to try to produce chances. Sunday is one. It’s just one more chance, that’s all..”
Nadal beat Matteo Berrettini in straight sets in the semi-final and now faces another bigserving 23-year-old in Daniil Medvedev.
The fifth seed knows the size of the task he faces in his first Grand Slam final.
“He’s one of the greatest champions in the history of our sport,” said Medvedev.
“To play him in your first final should be, I want to say, a funny thing. It’s not going to be a funny thing, but it’s going to be an amazing thing.”