MAX MIRNYI WINS HIS 50th TITLE IN TENNIS DOUBLES IN MOSCOW

Written by: Resendiz on 22nd October 2017

MAX MIRNYI WINS HIS 50th TITLE IN TENNIS DOUBLES IN MOSCOW |

Always special to come and play at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow. Virtually my home event. Thank you @vtbkremlincup for your warm hospitality over the years. Thank you @pistol_ossi for being a Rock this week. So happy for my 50th Title to have come this week. Thank you all for the support. – Photo by @maxmirnyi via Instagram.

By Francisco Resendiz

Max Mirnyi has long embraced his annual autumn trips to Moscow a tennis homecoming.

Twenty-one years after his Kremlin Cup debut, Mirnyi celebrated homecoming hugging a major milestone.

The ageless Mirnyi collected his 50th career ATP doubles championship, partnering Philipp Oswald to a 6-3, 7-5 sweep of Damir Dzumhur and Antonio Sancic in the Kremlin Cup final.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have won this special title in Moscow,” Mirnyi told 10sballs.com “It’s an event that I always consider a home event. I had family and friends support me through the tournament this year and I am delighted to share this title with all of them.”

The 40-year-old Belarusian has played some of his most dynamic doubles on the Moscow carpet that rewards his swarming serve-and-volley style.

Five of Mirnyi’s 50 career titles have come in Moscow with five different partners, a testament to his longevity as a champion and his versatility as a partner.

The Beast of Belarus relishes the beauty of creating synchronicity with different partners.

Mirnyi partnered Sandon Stolle to his first Moscow crown in 2001, successfully defended it alongside Roger Federer in 2002, realized the rare doubles three-peat playing with Mahesh Bhupathi in 2003 and gave Russian fans more reason to rejoice joining forces with Mikhail Youzhny to collect the 2005 Kremlin Cup title.

“There is always a special pressure when you are playing at home,” Mirnyi said. “And I think the Kremlin Cup is a home tournament for me as unfortunately we haven’t got an ATP tournament in Minsk…many of my relatives and friends came to watch my matches and that is the one more reason to show your best. And when you managed to do this, it is a great pleasure.”

While Mirnyi’s physicality was immediately apparent when he partnered Lleyton Hewitt to win the 200 US Open, it’s his ability to fuse instinctual net play with an analytical approach to opponents that’s empowered his longevity.

He’s won Grand Slam doubles silverware with several partners, including Jonas Bjorkman, Daniel Nestor, Bhupathyi and Hewitt because of his adaptability and all-court acumen. Mirnyi has won three championships with Federer, which is the most the 19-time Grand Slam champion has won with any partner.

Mirnyi’s game is a melting pot of global influences. Born in Belarus, he moved to Brooklyn in 1991, relocated to Bradenton, Florida and the Nick Bollettieri Academy in 1992 and is a bit of a tennis Renaissance man.

He’s a Grand Slam champions who holds a law degree, carried his nation’s flag at the 2012 Olympics is a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and more than two decades after his pro debut still displays hands faster than a hockey goalie at net.

Mirnyi raised his Moscow record to 24-5 winning his first ATP doubles championship since the 2016 Acapulco, while giving his family, friends and partner a memory for a lifetime.

“It means a lot because when you look at the list of winners with Max, he’s won this tournament five times with Federer and all those top stars and now it also says 50th title with Oswald,” Oswald said. “Partnering with Max is like being in an elite club of top players.”