Jonathan Marray and Frederik Nielsen may not share the celebrated reputation of the world-beating Bryan brothers, but the unseeded, unassuming pair have one thing over The Championships’ top seeds: an undefeated partnership record at SW19.
Marray and Nielsen have this year reprised their title-winning association for the first time at the All England Club since hoisting the trophy in 2012, and on Saturday extended their Wimbledon winning streak to eight, courtesy of a second-round victory over No.16 seeds Juan-Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-4.
Wild card entrants into the draw in 2012, Marray and Nielsen made a giant-killing run to the final – including a big win over No.2 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan in the semi-finals – en route to their maiden Grand Slam title.
But after teaming up at the US Open later that same year, Marray and Nielsen hadn't rekindled their partnership at a Grand Slam - until now.
Briton Marray, contesting his 14th consecutive Championships, and his Danish partner Nielsen reunited at SW19 this week ready to defy the odds once more. Two wins into their 2015 campaign the title is slowly appearing within reach, but their path does not get any easier; No.2 seeds and 2013 runners-up Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo await in the third round.
Cabal and Farah were the only men’s doubles seeds to tumble on Day 6, though No.7 pair Marcin Matkowski and Nenad Zimonjic came within one point of an early exit.
One point was all it took for Matkowski and Zimonjic to advance, the No.7 seeds prevailing 6-7(4), 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-4, 6-3 over Brit Dominic Inglot and Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin after three-and-a-quarter hours on court.
The No.7 pair managed just 10 winners to their opponents’ 29, but won a total of 161 points to Inglot and Roger-Vasselin’s 160 to set up a third-round meeting with French No.10 seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, who edged past Gilles Muller and Aisam Qureshi 6-7(9), 7-6(4), 6-4, 6-4.
No.13 seeds Jamie Murray and John Peers were also pushed to five sets but escaped with a 7-5, 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 win over Nicholas Monroe and Artem Sitak. They will next meet defending champions Jack Sock and Vasek Pospisil.
It was a slow start for No.11 pair Daniel Nestor and Leander Paes in their match against Teymuraz Gabashvili and Yen-Hsun Lu, but the more experienced duo recovered to win 5-7, 7-6(3), 7-6(4), 7-5.
Meanwhile, Lleyton Hewitt has continued his farewell to Wimbledon with yet another five-set thriller.
The veteran Australian and countryman Thanasi Kokkinakis defeated Robert Lindstedt and Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 3-6, 4-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 after almost three-and-a-half hours on court.
