Paes, Stepanek win US Open men's doubles title

NEW YORK: India's Leander Paes and Czech Radek Stepanek won the US Open men's doubles Sunday, their second major title as a pair and the Asian star's third in New York.

Paes and Stepanek, the fourth seeds, defeated Alexander Peya of Austria and Brazil's Bruno Soares, the second seeds, 6-1, 6-3.

The pair had also won the 2012 Australian Open title and ended Bob and Mike Bryan's hopes of completing a calendar year Grand Slam with victory in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Paes, 40, had won the US Open title with Martin Damm in 2006 and Lukas Dlouhy in 2009 and now has eight men's doubles trophies at the majors as well as six mixed doubles crowns.

He also dedicated the win to his coach, Rick Leach, who has been shuttling between New York and California to care for his sick father.

Stepanek, 34, praised Paes for standing by him when he was out of action for three months earlier this year after undergoing spinal surgery.

Victory on Sunday was eased when Peya picked up a back injury and needed a medical time-out during the fourth game of the second set.

He continued for the rest of the final but only at walking pace. (AFP)