Lopez/Lopez Close Out Armstrong Stadium With Memorable Win

New York tennis fans deserved no less during the final match on Louis Armstrong Stadium: Five-time US Open champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan facing off against eighth seeds Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez (no relation), the team that denied the Bryan brothers their 17^th Grand Slam title earlier this season at Roland Garros.

Just like the earlier edition, Tuesday’s quarter-final contest went the distance. And just like the June meeting, the Spaniards walked away victorious, moving into their first semi-final in Flushing Meadows 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-3.

“It was very special for us to beat the Bryans. They are the best players in the history of the game,” Feliciano Lopez said on court after the match.

The 34-year-old Spaniards, who started playing together this season, will try to reach their fourth final of the year when they play compatriots Pablo Carreno Busta and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez or 12^th seeds Lukasz Kubot and Alexander Peya in the semi-finals.

Lopez/Lopez won almost 75 per cent of their first-serve points during the quarter-final match. But the third-seeded Bryan brothers actually won one more point than the Spanish duo – 98 to 97.

“There were a lot of tight moments during the match,” Feliciano Lopez said. “It’s difficult but somehow we managed to win the match and we’re very happy for that.”

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The match was the final contest in the history of the Louis Armstrong Stadium at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The USTA plans to demolish the stadium shortly after this year’s US Open. A new stadium, with a roof, is expected to be ready in time for the 2018 US Open.

“Everything today was very special and very emotional,” Feliciano Lopez said.