PARIS/WASHINGTON, June 13, 2021 (by Michael Dickens)
Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut were the home favorites at this year’s French Open. Throughout the Paris fortnight, their matches were wildly popular attractions at Stade Roland Garros.
On Saturday evening, on Court Philippe-Chatrier, in front of friends and family and cheered by the champion French boys’ doubles team of Arthur Fils and Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Herbert and Mahut didn’t disappoint. They won their second Roland-Garros title three years after the first one – becoming the first all-French team to triumph twice in Paris – with their 4-6, 7-6 (1), 6-4 victory over unlikely finalists Alexander Bublik and Andrey Golubev, both of Kazakhstan in two hours and 11 minutes. The winners came from a set and a break down at 4-5 to pull out the title win, which was their fifth major title together.
🇫🇷Magnifique🇫🇷@p2hugz and @nmahut capture their fifth major title and second in Paris with a 4-6, 7-6(1), 6-4 victory over Bublik/Golubev. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/HeFm8jphJY
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 12, 2021
Upon winning, the crowd feted Herbert, 30, and Mahut, 39, with a hearty rendition of “La Marseillaise.” After a difficult Roland-Garros for France’s men’s and women’s singles players, all eliminated early in the first week, success by the popular Herbert and Mahut was just what the French needed.
No place like home 🥰#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/v12tr1Sbjj
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 12, 2021
“At the end we’re here with the trophy. It’s amazing,” Mahut said. “With the family, with our wives, sons, it’s something that you’re lucky when it happens once in your life. This is the second time for us. We could not be any happier tonight.”
Herbert added: “From the start to the end, we had amazing support. Maybe the best support I’ve had in my whole life for a two-week tournament. The final was terrible for me as I was tight the whole match. I wanted it so badly, maybe even more than the other four, so to win was really special.”
Together again 😘🏆😘@nmahut + @p2hugz #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/4aerVqGiEt
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 12, 2021
The 2021 French Open title was the 18th overall for Herbert and Mahut. Besides their twin French Open triumphs, their other major crowns came at the 2015 US Open, 2016 Wimbledon and 2019 Australian Open. They also won the Nitto ATP Finals title in 2019 and reached a career-high team ranking of No. 2 in 2016.
💙🤍❤️#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/6NoQgwXdqn
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 12, 2021
