US Open 2015: Hit and Miss for Murray and Peers at doubles final

A French feast greeted the full house crowd for the men’s doubles final, with Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut bagging the title in style.

The 12th seeded pair brought on their best game in the 6-4 6-4 win, ending the match effectively in just 69 minutes. British Jamie Murray and Australian John Peers’ dreams of finishing what they started at Wimbledon came crashing in the face of a powerhouse performance from Herbert.

“I’ve never seen someone play a final game like this in a Grand Slam,” Mahut praised his partner during the presentation ceremony “There were some incredible shots.” Peers and Murray rued the same thought as Herbert capitalized on every fault and break point, right from the first set where a botched backhand volley by Peers set the ball in motion.

“I’m starting to know what Andy felt like for a long time,” Murray quipped post-match, referring to the younger Murray’s early losses at Grand Slams.

The first set ended with both sides acquiring five break points, giving Murray and Peers some hope for redemption. Unfortunately for them, Pierre-Hughes Herbert had brought in precision unlike anything they had expected. The second set was a masterpiece at 5-4, with Herbert and Mahut leaving no ground uncovered.

The match point rally was one to cherish, as the British-Australian duo tried to give as good as they got but couldn’t stand the heat from the French pair. The man-of-the-match, Herbert, finished off in a flourish with a sensational close at the net.

The ecstatic celebration on the French side spoke volumes about the team’s steady rise to the top, spectators wondering the fate at the earlier quarter finals of Davis Cup if Herbert had not been cut off from the French team. Murray and Peers couldn’t redeem their lost chance of a Grand Slam, but still hold a chance of regaining form at the season finale at London in November.