Bryan brothers repeat title
American twins Bob and Mike Bryan defeated Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi 7-5, 7-5 today to win their second straight Australian Open doubles title and their fifth Grand Slam.
Mike Bryan’s powerful serve helped the brothers dominate the match, and Bjorkman and Mirnyi scrambled to save five championship points in the last game before Bob Bryan slammed a forehand winner for the win.
Bjorkman, from Sweden, and Mirnyi, from Belarus, never managed a break point, but doggedly defended on the big points.
But the pressure got to the second-ranked team. Bjorkman double-faulted to set up the Bryans’ fifth match point. Mirnyi saved it with a volley, but then set up the deciding point with a volley that went long.
The top-seeded Americans, competing in their 10th Grand Slam final, completed a career Grand Slam at Wimbledon last year.
It was the Bryan brothers’ fourth straight appearance in the Australian Open doubles final.
Gonzalez gains status
Win or lose against Roger Federer, Fernando Gonzalez will return to Chile next week a sporting hero.
Gonzalez, dubbed the “Red Hot Chilean” by local media during his run at the Australian Open, is the first player from his country to reach a Grand Slam final since Marcelo Rios in 1998.
His Australian matches have been shown live on television in Chile, and the hometown attention will intensify. His next tournament is the Movistar Open in Vina del Mar, followed by a Davis Cup match against defending champion Russia.
Draper hits links
Scott Draper won’t become Lleyton Hewitt’s full-time coach, preferring instead to become a professional golfer.
Draper, Hewitt’s former Davis Cup teammate and an aspiring golf pro, joined Hewitt for the Australian Open after longtime coach Roger Rasheed quit two weeks before the tournament.
Hewitt, a two-time Grand Slam titlist who lost to Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez in the third round, was disappointed Draper turned down the job.
“Lleyton was really hoping that I’d say yes,” Draper said. “Despite being disappointed, he completely understood and was very positive about my decision.”
All in the family
Cara Black, who won the Australian Open women’s doubles title with Liezel Huber, is one of three tennis players in her family.
Her late dad, Don, helped train and coach them.
Cara Black has five Grand Slam titles, including two mixed championships with brother Wayne. Brother Byron won 22 career doubles titles, including the 1994 French Open, and played Davis Cup with Wayne for Zimbabwe.