ATP World Tour Finals: Jamie Murray and John Peers part on low after blowing match points in defeat to Bryan brothers

They have enjoyed the most successful season of their lives but Jamie Murray and John Peers ended their three-year partnership in crushing disappointment here at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals. With a semi-final place at stake, the Scot and the Australian scorned five match points in their concluding round-robin match before losing 7-6, 6-7, 14-16 to Bob and Mike Bryan. It was agonising to watch, particularly after Peers wasted one match point with a dreadful miss.

The Bryan twins are the world’s No 1 pair, with 109 titles to their name, but their opponents will find scant consolation in the fact that they went out to the most celebrated doubles team in the modern game.

Murray and Peers, who will play with different partners next year, were two points from victory at 5-3 in the second set tie-break but lost the next four points. Nevertheless, they regrouped in the deciding champions’ tie-break and had victory apparently in their grasp when Murray’s clever interception gave them four match points at 9-5.

An unreturned serve by Mike Bryan and missed volleys by Murray and Peers brought the score back to 9-8. What happened next might make Peers crawl behind the nearest sofa if he ever watches a video replay. With the Bryans in retreat after his crunching return, the Australian had the court at his mercy but drove what should have been an easy forehand winner beyond the baseline.

“The ball actually came shorter than I expected,” Peers said afterwards. “I didn’t quite get over the top of the ball, unfortunately. Then it sailed long. I probably should have put one back through him.”

It was by no means the end of the drama. The Bryans saved another match point at 11-10 and had four match points of their own before Peers’ mishit return finally gave the Americans victory after a tie-break that had lasted 20 minutes.

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If Peers proved the weaker link in the closing stages, as had been the case when he and Murray lost in the Wimbledon and US Open finals , it was tough on the Australian, who had been the best player on the court for most of the first two sets.

Murray tried to look back on the positives. “It’s been a long journey for us,” he said. “We started around No 80 in the world together and we’ve finished up in the top 10 and qualifying for the end-of-year Masters here. Lots of great experiences. Now we’re ready to move on to other things.”

Novak Djokovic needed to win only one set of his concluding round-robin match against Tomas Berdych to secure his place in the last four but was less than convincing in his 6-3, 7-5 victory. The world No 1, who is chasing his fourth successive victory in the tournament, will meet Rafael Nadal in Saturday’s semi-finals.

Roger Federer, who will meet Andy Murray or Stan Wawrinka in the last four, won the group with his third victory of the week, beating Kei Nishikori 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 to keep alive his chances of replacing Murray at No 2 in the year-end world rankings.

Federer was wearing the makings of a decent beard after not shaving since before the tournament but said he had not decided yet how long to keep it.

“If it itches too much, I’ll take it off,” he said. “If my girls can’t stand it, I’ll take it off. If I look in the mirror and I don’t like it, I’ll take it off. Maybe I’ll think of Santa and keep it.”

One reporter asked what his wife, Mirka, thought of the beard. “I guess she’s OK,” he said with a smile. “I do take decisions by myself sometimes. I don’t know about your wife, but I’m allowed to.”