PARIS – Jean-Julien Rojer, who starred for the UCLA men’s tennis team from 2000-02, teamed with Marcelo Arevalo to capture the 2022 French Open men’s doubles title on Court Philippe-Chatrier at Roland-Garros.
In a match that eclipsed the three-hour mark, the 12th-seeded duo of Rojer and Arevalo outlasted Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek for a 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3 result. The Grand Slam doubles championship marked the fourth in the career of Rojer, who previously helped win the 2014 French Open mixed (with Anna-Lena Grönefeld), 2015 Wimbledon men’s (Horia Tecau) and 2017 US Open men’s (Tecau) crowns.
At the age of 40 years, nine months, Rojer became the oldest player to win a men’s Grand Slam doubles title in the Open era.
The marathon final did not see a break of serve until the deciding third set. Dodig and Krajicek seized the initial tiebreaker and looked primed to close it out with three match points at 6-5 in the second. Rojer and Arevalo fought them off, though, and narrowly took the tiebreaker. The elusive break finally came in the sixth game of the third set, as Rojer and Arevalo took a 4-2 advantage. Needing just to hold the rest of the way, they did just that.
The championship also represented the second by a former UCLA student-athlete at Roland-Garros in 2022. Ena Shibahara, who was a standout for the women’s tennis program in 2017 and 2018, and partner Wesley Koolhof collected the mixed doubles top prize Thursday. Bruins Rojer (men’s doubles, mixed doubles), Shibahara (women’s doubles, mixed doubles), Maxime Cressy (men’s singles, men’s doubles), Marcos Giron (men’s singles, men’s doubles), Catherine Harrison (women’s doubles) and Mackenzie McDonald (men’s singles, men’s doubles) were all in action.
Under head coach Billy Martin, Rojer twice achieved All-America status – in 2001 for singles and doubles and 2002 for doubles. He earned All-Pac-12 recognition to conclude each of his three seasons. In 2001, Rojer and partner Marcin Matkowski won the ITA All-American and Pac-10 doubles championships.
For more on UCLA at the 2022 French Open, CLICK HERE.
?????? First #RolandGarros doubles title ??????@CheloArevaloATP and Jean-Julien Rojer defeat Dodig/Krajicek 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3#RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/MXpLuSuznJ
— Roland-Garros (@rolandgarros) June 4, 2022
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