Former Middle Tennessee men’s tennis standout John Peers paired with Henri Kontinen to win the Australian Open Men’s Doubles title on Saturday, improving Peers’ world ranking to No. 6.
Peers and Kontinen won five matches to earn the right to face Bob and Mike Bryan in the finals, including four straight set victories. Once in the finals, Peers and Kontinen defeated the American duo, 7-5, 7-5, to win the pair’s sixth title together, Peers’ 12th total in his career.
Peers represented the Blue Raiders from 2007-10, and his name is listed all throughout the Middle Tennessee and Sun Belt record books. He was named Sun Belt Tournament Most Outstanding Player in 2009, along with being named to the All-Sun Belt Singles and Doubles lists in 2009 and 2010. He was tabbed Sun Belt Player of the Week four times in his career at MT.
Under his leadership in 2009, the Blue Raiders finished the season ranked No. 57 by the ITA. Peers was also ranked No. 44 in singles at the end of the 2010 season, along with a doubles ranking of No. 33 after the 2009 campaign.
