New Delhi: Doubles legend Leander Paes won his 14th career grand slam on Sunday when he lifted the 2013 US Open men's doubles title with Radek Stepanek, beating the pair of Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares 6-1, 6-3 in the final.
This is Paes's 8th men's doubles grand slam trophy to go with his six mixed doubles titles.
The Indo-Czech pair had little trouble winning the first set, which they led 5-0 before clinching it 6-1. The second set saw some resistance from Peya and Soares, but Paes and Stepanek stayed in control with an early break to close it at 6-3.
It was a perfect climax for Paes and Stepanek, who came into the US Open with title in Winston Salem Open, as they won their second major title together, having won Australian Open last year.
It was third US Open title for 40-year-old Paes and the previous two had also come with Czech partners. In 2006, the Indian won with Martin Damm and in 2009 with Lukas Dlouhy.
Last year at the US Open, Paes had ended runner-up with Stepanek, losing to Bryan brothers.
Peya and Soares struggled to hold serve and too many unforced errors only made the job tough for them. In contrast, whatever Paes and Stepanek did, yielded them desired result. Yet again Stepanek's serve and Paes' net play was superb.
Peya and Soares had two break chances - in the first and fifth games in the opening set - but could convert none.
The back problem to Peya in the second set reduced the match to a formality as the second seeds could not have challenged their in-form rivals with an injury handicap.
(With PTI inputs)
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