Jamie Murray defeated in doubles final at Monte Carlos Masters

The Scot and his partner Bruno Soares lost 4-6, 6-0, 10-6 to  Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert

Paul Newman
Sunday 17 April 2016 13:54 BST
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Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert celebrate victory
Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert celebrate victory

Jamie Murray will still be No 1 in doubles when the world rankings are updated on Monday but the 30-year-old Scot is still waiting for his first Masters Series title. Murray and his partner, Bruno Soares, took the first set against Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters but were outplayed in the latter stages as the Frenchmen won 4-6, 6-0, 10-6.

Saturday’s semi-final victory over Marcelo Melo and Ivan Dodig had been enough to keep Murray at the top of the world order, but Mahut and Herbert are on a remarkable run. This was their third successive Masters Series title following their triumphs at Indian Wells and Miami. Mahut and Herbert had also beaten Murray and his then partner John Peers in last year’s US Open final.

On this occasion Murray and Soares struck the first blow, breaking Mahut to lead 5-3. The Frenchmen broke back in the following game when Murray served for the first set but then it was Herbert’s turn to drop serve at 4-5. He saved one set point with an ace but on the second Murray and Soares got the better in a sharp exchange of volleys at the net.

However, the match quickly turned in the second set as the French pair took it to love. They also went 4-0 up in the champions’ tie-break before Murray and Soares closed the margin to 7-6. Mahut, however, won the next two points on his serve before Murray double-faulted on match point.

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