Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic ensured Wimbledon was not all about the US on Saturday with a tense doubles victory over Americans Bob and Mike Bryan.
In a match sandwiched between the singles and women’s doubles finals featuring the Williams sisters, Canada’s Nestor and Serbian Zimonjic beat the top seeded Bryan brothers 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 to retain the men’s doubles title.
“It’s a great accomplishment,” Nestor said. “One of the first things I noticed was our name on the board, on the big plaque. Now we get it twice. It’s obviously going to be special to come back next year and see that.”
PHOTO: AFP
Nestor and Zimonjic were playing in their third Grand Slam final together. Besides winning the Wimbledon title last year, they lost in the 2008 French Open final.
This year’s final marked the first time that Nestor and Zimonjic have played the Bryan brothers in a Grand Slam tournament.
The Bryan brothers, who have won seven major titles together, entered the match on Centre Court without having dropped a set at the All England Club this year.
After splitting the first two sets, a superb Nestor forehand return in the third handed him and Zimonjic a chance for the lead, which they took when Bob sent his forehand long.
Nestor and Zimonjic broke the 2006 Wimbledon champions to go 2-0 up in the fourth before Zimonjic served two aces in the ninth game to seal victory in style.
“We feel fortunate to beat the Bryans today, they are great champions, they have won everything and they will be around for a long time,” Nestor said of the seven-time doubles grand slam champions.
Zimonjic, who treated the lively crowd to his sweaty shirt after victory, and Nestor become the first pair to retain the Wimbledon men’s doubles title since Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge in 2004.
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