Rojer, Tecau show extra work pays off before a Slam

Playing the week before a Grand Slam is always a tricky proposition.

Do you ensure you’re fresh for the major on the horizon? Is it important to try to work out some kinks at the last minute during tournament play? Or if you have been in good form, should you try to keep the momentum going as long as possible?

Whichever reason Jean-Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau made in their decision-making process, they can rest easy knowing their choice paid off.

This year’s Winston-Salem Open doubles champions kept on winning through the US Open to take the title with a straight-set win over Feliciano Lopez and Marc Lopez.  With the victory, Rojer and Tecau are the only players in singles or doubles this year to win a Grand Slam after capturing a tournament title the week prior.

It’s the second career Slam title for the pair, who won Wimbledon in 2015.

That year in London, they reached back-to-back semifinals on grass before taking the week off leading up to the major. The Dutch-Romanian duo had to battle through a five-setter in the semifinals before a straight-set win against Jamie Murray and John Peers in the final.

At Wimbledon this year, Rojer and Tecau fell in the first round.

Turning their attention to the hard-court season, they compiled a 4-3 record in their next three events. They chose to play the final US Open tune-up in Winston-Salem, and swept through the tournament without dropping a set.

Their sets-won streak ended in the first round, but they quickly started a new one, winning their next three matches in straight sets. Top seeds Kontinen and Peers had them on the ropes in the semifinals, but Rojer and Tecau rallied for the victory, then overwhelmed the Spanish duo of Lopez and Lopez in the final.

Rojer and Tecau went one better than Stan Wawrinka and the women’s doubles team of Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua, who won in Geneva and Strasbourg, respectively, right before the start of this year’s French Open.

Perhaps Rojer and Tecau will inspire more players to get that extra week of work in.

Follow Van on Twitter: @Van_Sias