From: AO官網
Sweet revenge for Llodra and Santoro
Saturday, 25 January, 2003
by Tim Brimblecombe
French duo Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro have avenged
last year's Australian Open men's doubles loss by taking
the 2003 title with a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 win against defending
champions Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor.
Last year, the same pairings met in the final at Melbourne
Park with Knowles, from the Bahamas, and Nestor, from Canada,
triumphing 7-6, 6-3. The four also met at last year's US
Open with Knowles and Nestor again victorious 7-6, 6-3.
The past two weeks were a welcome return to form for the
Frenchmen, seeded No.8, who failed to win back-to-back
matches in 10 further tournaments after appearing in last
year's Australian Open final. In two Davis Cup appearances
together last year they won one match and lost one.
Their victory was the first time a French team won the men's
doubles title at the Australian Open for 74 years and the
first time a French team won a Grand Slam doubles title since
1984 when Henri Leconte and Yannick Noah won at Roland Garros.
For Knowles and Nestor, last year's ITF men's doubles world
champions, the loss continued a poor run in Grand Slam finals.
The win last year at Melbourne Park was their only title from
seven finals appearances including the 2002 French Open final
and 2002 Wimbledon final.
Llodra and Santoro made a perfect start when they broke Nestor
in the first game of the match. Games went to serve from there
for the Frenchmen to take the first set 6-4.
But the defending champions broke early in the second set for
a 3-1 lead and ensured a tight finish when they took the set
6-3 to level at one-all.
Knowles and Nestor continued to apply the pressure by breaking
in the first game of the third set and held a 3-1 lead before
the Frenchman settled to win the next five games, including
two breaks, to take the set and the match in 104 minutes.
--
"I just want to find a way of being an adult without being boring, y'know?"
Jarvis Cocker.
--
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