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Woodbridge ties record with eighth Wimbledon doubles title

Good Wood LONDON, July 5 (Reuters) -- Todd Woodbridge clinched a record-tying eighth men's doubles title at Wimbledon, having won six of those titles with Mark Woodforde and two now with Jonas Bjorkman. "It's beyond belief that I could do anything like this," said the 32-year-old. "I need a good partner to do it, but when I started out on my career I never thought I could achieve this." After losing the first set against Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi, Woodbridge and Bjorkman won a pivotal third set tiebreak 7-4 and went on to retain the title they won last year. With Woodbridge just one behind American John McEnroe and two behind Dutchman Tom Okker on the all-time list of men's doubles titles in the open era with 76, McEnroe has suggested that if Woodbridge matches his mark of 77, the two should pair up to equal Okker's record. "He is always joking about it, but knowing how competitive Mac is he is probably serious," Woodbridge said.

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Fourth-seeded Todd Woodbridge and Jonas Bjorkman won the Wimbledon men's doubles title Saturday, defeating top-seeded Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3.

It was Woodbridge's eighth men's doubles title at Wimbledon, which ties a century-old record held by brothers Hugh and Reggie Doherty. They won eight between 1897 and 1905.

"I'm astonished to think that I could ever get close to that record," Woodbridge said.

Woodbridge won six Wimbledon titles with fellow Australian Mark Woodforde and now has two with Bjorkman.

It was the ninth overall men's doubles title for Woodbridge and Bjorkman. They also won the Australian Open in 2001.

Woodbridge now has 14 Grand Slam men's doubles titles, a record in the Open Era. Bjorkman has four in men's doubles. He also won the 1998 Australian Open with Jacco Eltingh.

Woodbridge is closing in on the record of 78 career doubles titles held by Tom Okker. Woodbridge has 76, one behind John McEnroe.

 

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