Saturday 11 July 2015 18:42, UK
Britain's Jamie Murray joined brother Andy in tasting Wimbledon disappointment as he was denied a second Grand Slam title in the final of the men's doubles.
Murray won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title with Jelena Jankovic in 2007 but he was unable to repeat the feat as he and Australian partner John Peers were beaten 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 6-4 by Holland's Jean-Julien Rojer and Romanian Horia Tecau.
It means a second defeat in as many days for the Murrays after Andy, who was watching his brother on Centre Court, lost to Roger Federer in the singles semi-final on Friday.
After two weeks of 'Murray Mania' surrounding Andy, this was Jamie's time in the spotlight and a moment to savour given the 29-year-old had never before reached the men's doubles final at a major.
It once seemed an impossible prospect when Murray's doubles ranking slipped out of the top 100 in 2010 but he has enjoyed a revival with Peers, climbing to 28th in the world and winning five tour titles with his 26-year-old partner.
The duo struggled for consistency against their experienced opponents, who boast seven major doubles finals between them, and while each set was tight, there was no doubting Tecau and Rojer deserved their victory.
Murray and Peers earned three break points in the first set, two in Tecau's opening service game, but all were saved and as the players found their serving rhythm, the teams headed into a tie-break.
Tecau and Rojer stepped up a gear to open up a 6-3 lead and while the first two set points were recovered, the third was converted as an incredible rally ended with a definitive smash.
There was another blow around the corner for Murray and Peers, as the latter netted a simple volley to give away an early break at the start of the second set.
Andy Murray moved down from the spectator seats to join mother Judy in the players' box but there was no turning of the tide as Tecau served out at 5-4, slapping away a volley to move two sets clear.
There was little to separate the pairs in the third set until a Peers double fault conceded a break point in the ninth game, which was seized upon, before Rojer served out to love to clinch the title.
The Murray brothers will both be hoping for a boost next week when they, as part of a Great Britain side, take on France in the Davis Cup quarter-finals.
