(By SHAVAUGHN MOSS NG Sports Reporter)Bahamian Mark Knowles and his Canadian doubles partner Daniel Nestor came up short in the final of the Australian Open men's doubles crown on Saturday.
In a rematch of the 2002 finals, Frenchmen Fabrice Santoro and Michael Llodra, seeded eighth, reversed the result and claimed the 2003 title over Knowles and Nestor, the defending champions and top seeds.
Knowles and Nestor dropped the first set 4-6, rallied for the second set win 3-6, and were up a break in the third set, but Santoro and Llodra fought back, levelled the terms before running out the winners for the 6-3 set and match win of the first Grand Slam event of the year.
for the French combination, it was their first major win and their first doubles success together.
The loss for Knowles and Nestor came in their only match that went the distance.
In the first round they dispatched the Argentine team of Mariano Hood and Andre Sa 6-3, 6-3 before sending Australians Ryan Henry and Todd Reid packing 6-3, 6-3. Fellow Australians Raphael Durek and Alun Jones also suffered the same fate in their 6-3, 6-3 loss.
In the quarter-finals, Knowles and Nestor made short work of Spain's Albert Portas and Tommy Robredo 6-1, 6-3.
In the semi-finals Argentina's Gaston Etlis and Martin Rodriguez were the victims in Knowles and Nestor's 6-3, 6-4 win, before they fell short in the final.
According to an AP report by John Brock, Knowles and Nestor were bitterly disappointed at Saturday's loss.
"It was probably the best we have played in a Grand Slam final and we lost."
"They played unbelievable," he added. "We have played them twice before and not seen them play like that."
Added Knowles: "Whoever we play, they seem to play the match of their lives."
Knowles and Nestor have now lost six of their seven Grand Slam finals appearances. But they have won 17 career titles as a team and a total of 50 between them with various partners.
The Knowles/Nestor pairing collected six doubles titles in 2002. It was the duo's 23rd Grand Slam tournament and 104th event overall together.
Caption
Daniel Nestor from Canada on right and his partner Mark Knowles from the Bahamas during their mens doubles final loss by 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, against Michael Llodra and Fabrice Santoro, both from France at the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2003. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)
Michael Llodra second from left and Fabrice Santoro, on left, both from France celebrate with their trophies after their victory by 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in the mens doubles final over Daniel Nestor, on right from Canada and Mark Knowles from Bahamas at the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in Melbourne, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2003. (AP Photo/Rick Stevens)
