|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Adding to the record Woodies win sixth Wimbledon, 60th title overall
WIMBLEDON, England (CNN/SI) -- Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde made their mark in history by winning their sixth Wimbledon doubles title Saturday. The duo beat Paul Haarhuis and Sandon Stolle 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 in a rematch of the French Open final. The victory gave the Australian pair - affectionately nicknamed the "Woodies" -- their seventh title this year and the 60th of their career as a team, and left them just one short of equaling the 12 Grand Slam titles held by John Newcombe and Tony Roche. The victory was particularly nostalgic because Woodforde is retiring at the end of the season, which meant this was their last Wimbledon together. "It couldn't have been a better way to finish than by winning here," Woodforde, 34, said. "It makes it a heck of a lot easier to step out, to be able to say good-bye to a place and tournament that has meant so much." "It was very special to stand there as winners and wave good-bye." Woodbridge said he hadn't decided who he would play with next season, but agreed the finish was perfect.
"I was very pleased that today, win or lose, we were going to end our partnership [at Wimbledon] out on that court." The two still intend to team up in the U.S. Open and the Olympics in Sydney. Just one break settled the first set, with Stolle dropping his serve in the sixth game. A rain delay followed after the next game with the Australians leading 5-2. When play resumed, Haarhuis held off two set points before Woodbridge and Woodforde took the set on serve. In the second set, Haarhuis was broken for 4-3 and several times hit the net in frustration as he returned to his chair. Haarhuis lost serve in the opening game of the third set, and again at 3-1 to leave Woodbridge and Woodforde virtually assured of their 11th victory in 15 Grand Slam finals. Woodbridge and Woodforde became the most successful doubles team of all time when they won the French Open last month, surpassing the 57 titles held by Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan, and Peter Fleming and John McEnroe. A week before Wimbledon, they added their 59th title at Queen's Club. Venus Williams, who won the singles title on Saturday, will team with her sister, Serena, on Sunday in the women's doubles final on Centre Court against fourth-seeded Julie Halard-Decugis of France and Ai Sugiyama of Japan. The Williams sisters were seeded No. 8 and entered as a wild card. The sisters will be after their third Grand Slam doubles title with previous victories last year in the U.S. Open and French. Serena also won the 1998 Wimbledon and U.S. Open mixed doubles titles teaming with Max Mirnyi. Venus won the Australian and French Open in the same year playing with Justin Gimelstob.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
