Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Teca have ended their four-match losing streak against Bob and Mike Bryan with a comprehensive 6-4, 6-4, victory.
The second seeded pairing set out their dominance early on in the match when they broke the America duo during a lengthy fourth game to surge ahead 3-1. Despite things going to plan for the Dutch/Romanian duo, the experience Bryan brothers once again battled back from behind. In the Bryan brothers previous match, they saved five match points to grab the crucial win. Despite the American comeback, Rojer and Tecau responded harder by breaking once again in the seventh game. Serving for the first set at 5-4, they were again in danger of losing the lead when the top seeds had their second set point of the match, but failed to capitalize. The failure was fatal to the Bryan brothers opening sets hopes, as the lower ranked team went on to take the set.
Despite taking the first set, the second seeds were aware that they were far from finished after their experience at the ATP Finals last year. On that occasion the duo took the opening set before being edged out in a super tiebreaker. They ensured that history didn’t repeat itself this time with an outstanding service performance throughout the second set where they lost just just four points, winning 76% of their first service points and 100% of their second. Applying the pressure, the Bryan’s faltered early in the second set to allow the second seeds to ease their way to the win.
The victory means that Rojer and Tecau will finish 2015 as the year-end No.1 doubles team. The other threat to the year-end crown was Marcelo Melo and Ivan Dodig but they lost earlier in their semi-final match. Speaking after their triumph, both Rojer expressed his delight.
“It feels pretty darn good right about now”. Rojer said.
“It’s a dream scenario”. He added.
This year the new No.1 pairing have won two titles at the Rotterdam Open and Wimbledon. Their celebrations will be temporarily put on hold as they look ahead to the final where they will bid to end their season on a high against India’s Rohan Bopanna and Romania’s Florin Mergea. Tecau spoke briefly about the upcoming clash.
“We have to snap out of it quick because tomorrow we have a difficult match”. The Romanian said.
