JOIN US Leander Paes will be eyeing his eighth men’s doubles title at a Grand Slam event when he plays in the final of the US Open along with his Czech partner Radek Stepanek on Saturday.
Paes and Stepanek are in great form after stunning defending champions Mike and Bob Bryan 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 on Thursday to enter their second successive final at the Flushing Meadows.
Stepanek and Paes, who has won the US open twice with two other Czechs Martin Damm in 2006 and Lukas Dlouhy in 2009, will now take on Austrian Alexander Peya and Brazil’s Bruno Soares who put out Croatian Ivan Dodig and Brazilian Marcelo Melo 7-5, 6-4, in the other semifinal.
Paes, who has also won six mixed doubles Grand Slam titles, has again proved that at 40 he is still the most durable doubles player on the circuit.
After losing the first set, Paes and Stepanek breezed through the second set and were on a song in the decider. Their inspiring play and a jig after winning every game rattled the winners of the 15 Grand Slam titles.
“It came natural and we have fun on the court. Whatever comes comes, tomorrow it could be something different,” Stepanek said.
Paes, a losing doubles finalist here on four occasions, was all praise for the Bryan brothers, describing them as great ambassadors for American tennis.
“I have tremendous respect for the Bryan boys, they are great ambassadors for American tennis,” said Paes.
Paes paid handsome tributes to his partner.
“He fought his way back after a spinal surgery four months ago and it was a tough year for him. So when we play together we feel anything is possible.’