Bryan and Huber take mixed doubles thriller

Doubles legends Bob Bryan and Liezel Huber were stretched all the way but emerged victorious from a thrilling match tie-break to take the mixed doubles crown, defeating Marcelo Melo et Vania King 5-7 7-6 10-7. The pair have over 80 doubles titles between them but they certainly did not have it all their own way, despite the fact that Melo and King had little experience playing together. Breaks were exchanged in the first set before Bryan and Huber were broken again in the twelfth game, handing the set to their less storied opponents. Brazilian men’s doubles specialist Melo (who along with habitual partner Andre Sa was involved in a 28-26 final set at Wimbledon two years ago) and King battled through the second set but it was Huber and Bryan who took a conventional tie-break, sending the match into a super tie-break – first to ten, two points clear. Bryan pounced on King’s serve to mini-break at 8-7 and that was enough for the Americans to take the title. The win made up for defeats in the men’s and women’s doubles for Bryan and Huber, who were full of humour at the press conference after the match. “I was just trying to be Cara Black out there,” said Bryan referring to the women’s doubles partner with whom Huber has enjoyed so much success. “A little taller, but the same!” he grinned. “Playing with Liezel was a lot of fun. She's No1 in the world and plays really smart tennis. I learned a lot from her.”