Melbourne, Australia: Lukasz Kubot and Robert Lindstedt won the Australian Open men's double title in their first Grand Slam as a team with a 6-3, 6-3 win Saturday over American Eric Butorac and South Africa's Raven Klaasen.
Kubot and Lindstedt dominated from the start, fending off the only breakpoint they faced and wrapping up the final in just an hour and five minutes.
Lindstedt of Sweden has previously lost three Grand Slam doubles finals—all at Wimbledon with Horia Tecau. Poland's Kubot was playing for his first major title.
The 36-year-old Linstedt said he was originally supposed to play with Jurgen Melzer, but scrambled to find a new partner in December when Melzer was injured.
“I'm quite happy that you said yes,” Lindstedt told Kubot in his acceptance speech.
Butorac and Klaasen—who had an upset win over top-ranked Bob and Mike Bryan in the third round—upped their tempo in the second set to stay in touch, but could only watch as their opponents served out the match. In the first round, they beat local favorite Pat Rafter, who came out of retirement at the age of 41 to play doubles with Lleyton Hewitt.
“I never dreamed that I would actually play in (the Australian Open) and to be here playing in a Grand Slam final was an absolute dream come true,” Butorac said.
