Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.

American Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson squandered the opportunity to contest the US Open men’s doubles final tomorrow after allowing a match point go to waste against Britain’s Jamie Murray and John Peers of Australia.

Querrey and Johnson had the match at their mercy in a third set tiebreak but Murray came up with an unorthodox but effective double fisted backhand volley to deny the two Californians a place in the final against the French duo of Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut.

Instead, Murray and Pears prevailed 6-4,6-7,7-6, recovering from being a shot from defeat in the third set tiebreak to win 9-7 in the tiebreak after Querrey sent a conclusive backhand drive long of the baseline.

The American duo had looked the stronger going into the tiebreak, immediately fighting back after from going 5-3 down in the final set. Before an awkward looking but nevertheless effective backhand volley by Murray fended off the match point threat, victory seemed a formality as the pair served for the match after breaking Johnson’s serve to lead 5-3 in the third set.

However two double faults by Melbourne-born Peers created the opening for Querrey to break back with a forceful forehand return winner. “We didn’t let it affect us too much because we were still ahead in the set and even though we were behind in the tiebreak our energy was good,” said Murray who reached the US Open mixed doubles final in 2008 alongside the now retired Liezel Huber.

 After coming to terms with defeat, Johnson contributed much of his half share of the $133,150 semifinal prize money to Salem Lutheran Elementary School, a place he attended.

Johnson and Querrey, newly named on the United States Davis Cup squad, were unable to follow up their selection with a Grand Slam final place and earned themselves “Final 8 Club” status and receive lifetime badges to attend America’s Grand Slam tournament.

“It’s really cool to be in the Final 8 Club,” said Johnson, whose father Steve Senior, has run his tennis academy out of the Rancho San Clemente Tennis & Fitness Club for the past 15 years. “It’s my first one and I’ll get to come here for the rest of my life,” he said. “I just hope we can get two more wins.”

The Scottish/Australian duo were more than up to the challenge and won through in the final set tiebreak. “They just served that bit better than us tonight but we have not been playing together for very long,” said new United States Davis Cup recruit Johnson.

Copyright © 2015. No duplication is permitted without permission from Bob Larson Tennis.