Americans Bryan and Sock win U.S. Open doubles title

[September 08, 2018]  By Frank Pingue

NEW YORK (Reuters) - American Mike Bryan claimed a record 18th Grand Slam men's doubles title when he and compatriot Jack Sock beat Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo 6-3 6-1 in the U.S. Open final on Friday.

 

The meeting between the last two Wimbledon champions proved one-sided as Poland's Kubot and Brazil's Melo, seeded seventh, had no answer for the tactical game deployed by the third-seeded American duo.

Bryan and Sock, who also triumphed at Wimbledon this year in their second event as a team, won all of their service games and converted four of their 10 break point opportunities to secure the win.

With the win the Americans became the first team to win consecutive Grand Slam titles since Bryan and his twin brother Bob, who has been sidelined with a hip injury, swept four straight starting at the 2012 U.S. Open.

Bryan also moved past Australian John Newcombe on the all-time list of Grand Slam doubles titles.

"This is not just about me. It's a team effort," said Bryan. "Takes a lot of people behind the scenes to get this 40-year-old body on the court and winning a couple matches."

(Reporting by Frank Pingue, editing by Pritha Sarkar)

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