Tennis: Ram/Mirnyi fall short at final hurdle at Montreal Masters

Israeli/Belrusian duo second best throughout match, struggling desperately on their opponents' serve.

By ALLON SINAI
andy ram france 248 88 ap (photo credit: AP [file])
andy ram france 248 88 ap
(photo credit: AP [file])
Andy Ram and Max Mirnyi came up just short in their attempt to win their second World Tour Masters title of the year on Sunday, losing 6-4, 6-3 to Mahesh Bhupathi and Mark Knowles in the final of the Rogers Cup in Montreal. The Israeli/Belrusian duo, which recorded an impressive 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over number 1 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan in Saturday's semis, was second best throughout Sunday's match, struggling desperately on their opponents' serve. Ram and Mirnyi won just nine total points on their opponents' serve during the encounter, failing to reach a single break point. Despite the defeat, Ram and Mirnyi will be encouraged by their performance in Canada in the past week, after reaching their first semifinal in more than four months and collecting crucial ranking points in the race to end the year in the top-eight and qualify for the season ending World Tour Finals in London. Meanwhile, new world number two Andy Murray overcame Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro in the singles final 6-7 (4), 7-6 (3), 6-1 to become the first Brit to win the Montral Masters title. The match lasted 2 hours and 45 minutes after del Potro was injured at the end of the second set.