Jamie Murray & Liezel Huber lose doubles final

Jamie Murray and his American partner Liezel Huber lost the US Open mixed doubles final, fifth seeds Leander Paes and Cara Black winning 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.

The unseeded British/US pair had two set points after making a fast start in the first set tie-breaker, but were unable to take those golden chances.

Murray, 22, was the only player to lose his serve when he was broken in the fifth game of the second set.

Paes served out for the title as the match was won in one hour 20 minutes.

The pairings were well matched throughout the first set, although Huber, 32, had to save three break points in her second service game.

She and Murray then dominated the early part of the tie-break to go 5-2 up, and then 6-4.

But a well-placed volley from Zimbabwean Black, 29, saved the first set point and Murray then netted his own volley to squander the second.

The opportunity had gone, and the set was clinched two points later when Paes went straight down the middle with a winning volley.

Indian veteran Paes, 35, saved two break-points as his own serve came under pressure early in the second set, but three games later Murray conceded the vital game to serve.

The critical point was lost when Black - the outstanding player on the day - brilliantly anticipated a Murray volley and put away her own volley for a winner.

Though he showed flashes of brilliance, Murray also showed his inexperience at times - occasionally rushing his returns of serve and making errors at bad times.

There was to be no repeat of his first Grand Slam title - in the 2007 Wimbledon mixed doubles alongside Serbia's Jelena Jankovic.

But having reached the last four at Flushing Meadows last year, and at Wimbledon this summer, both times with Huber, he is continuing to develop as a doubles player on the world stage.

Afterwards, he said: "We played great the whole week. Last year we were playing our first tournament together and we lost to this man (Paes) again. I was looking for a bit of revenge today but it wasn't to be."

"I guess I was looking for a bit of revenge today but it didn't happen. But it was a great week."