Aussie Peers wins ATP World Tour Final

Australian Davis Cup star John Peers has taken a special place in tennis history with the successful defence of his doubles crown at the ATP World Tour Finals in London.

Peers, 29, and Finn Henri Kontinen capped a memorable year with a dominant 6-4 6-2 victory over top seeds Marcelo Melo and Lukasz Kubot in Sunday night’s final at the O2 Arena.

The reigning Australian Open champions are the first duo to retain their year-end crown since American greats Mike and Bob Bryan 13 years ago.

The only other pairings to go back-to-back in the tournament’s 47-year history are Swedes Stefan Edberg and Anders Jarryd in 1985-86 and tennis legend John McEnroe and fellow American Peter Fleming, who won seven straight times from 1978 to 1984.

Edberg was courtside 31 years on as Peers’ second title also matched the two that Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde won together in 1992 and 1996.

But not even the “Woodies” – Australia’s most successful doubles team of the professional era – ever managed to defend the trophy at the prestigious season finale.

The only other Australian to win the doubles showpiece is former Davis Cup captain John Fitzgerald with Jarryd in 1991.

Unbeaten in finals this year, Sunday’s victory earned Peers and Kontinen a fifth trophy of the year, plus $US225,000 each.

It also provided the perfect finish to 2017 ahead of their attempt to go back-to-back at Melbourne Park in January.

But, after sweeping to the title undefeated last year, Peers and Kontinen had to rebound from a loss in their opening round-robin match this week against American Ryan Harrison and Kiwi Michael Venus.

The second seeds needed to win three straight sudden-death matches before upstaging the world’s top-ranked doubles team in the final for the third time this year.

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