The Hindu : Sport : Paes-Dlouhy pair triumphs

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Paes-Dlouhy pair triumphs

PARIS: India’s Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic won the French Open men’s doubles title with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 win over Wesley Moodie of South Africa and Belgium’s Dick Norman on Saturday.

It was the 35-year-old Paes’s fifth men’s Grand Slam doubles title having won twice here in 1999 and 2001 with Mahesh Bhupathi, 1999 Wimbledon with Bhupathi and the 2006 U.S. Open with Martin Damm. The Indian also has four Grand Slam mixed doubles crowns.

“Dick and Wesley served really huge and made it difficult for us. They did a great job in getting to the final,” said Paes who has now won 40 career doubles titles.

Paes and Dlouhy first teamed up at Roland Garros last year, losing in the last 16 to eventual champion Pablo Cuevas and Luis Horna.

They then finished runners-up to Mike and Bob Bryan in the 2008 U.S. Open final.

“We started playing together at Roland Garros last year. We lost then to the champions so we made it a point that we would come back and try and win it this year,” added Paes.

Special day

“This is a very special day for us and I would like to thank Lukas,” said the 35-year-old Paes.

Dlouhy added: “I’m very nervous because I won for the first time and thanks to Leander for carrying me.”

Norman, at 38, would have been one of the oldest Major title winners had he succeeded. — Agencies

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