Miami Killian High grad and Salvadoran partner make history with French Open doubles title
Rafael Nadal was not the only one smashing records at the French Open over the weekend.
Jean-Julien Rojer and Marcelo Arevalo — doubles partners with South Florida ties — each made history as they won the French Open men’s doubles championship by beating Ivan Dodig of Croatia and Austin Krajicek of the United States 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in the final.
Forty-year-old Rojer, a Miami Killian High graduate who is based in Brickell Key, became the oldest Grand Slam men’s doubles champion in the Open era. He also won the 2015 Wimbledon doubles title and 2017 U.S. Open doubles title with previous partner Horia Tecau.
Arevalo, 31, is from El Salvador and became the first Grand Slam champion from Central America. With a No. 14 world doubles ranking, he is the highest-ranked Salvadoran player in history. He and Rojer, who do their offseason training in Miami, teamed up this season and are 24-10.
They won titles at Delray Beach and Dallas earlier this season and reached the final in Acapulco.
They saved three championship points to win the second set against Dodig and Krajicek and took command of the third set to seal the historic win.
“I’m really proud of that,” Rojer said of his milestone during the trophy ceremony. “I know I’m getting older, and it makes these moments that much more special, because you don’t know how many times you have left to play on such a beautiful court at these beautiful tournaments - I’m extremely grateful.”
He held his 1-year-old son in his arms during the post-match celebration.
“I really want to thank my partner,” Rojer said, holding back tears. “We spend a lot of time together living and training in Miami. We decided to play together. I know this kid has a big heart, he showed it. I’m so happy and proud of this moment.”
Rojer is a native of Curacao who moved to South Florida at age 14 to train. He won back-to-back state titles at Killian his sophomore and junior seasons in 1997 and 1998 and then enrolled in the Evert Tennis Academy in Boca Raton. Rojer went on to play at UCLA, where he was an All-American.
He has been training in Miami with his longtime friend and former University of Miami player Luis Manrique.
Arevalo reached as high as No. 8 in the world in juniors, and is the younger brother of former tour player Rafael Arevalo.
“I’m so proud to have every one of you, staying for the final,” Arevalo said to the crowd. “You guys made our moment precious - thank you, Paris, and thank you Roland-Garros.”
During the trophy ceremony the El Salvadorian credited his wife for his success.
“I think she believed it more than me,” he said. “At some point she was always telling me ‘You are going to win a Grand Slam’. I thought she was saying that because she liked me and I was her husband. Thank you so much for trusting me all the way, since we knew each other I was always playing the lowest tournaments and you always believed in me - I love you so much.”
Mike Kypriss, Rojer’s coach at Miami Killian High, has remained in close contact with his former player over the years. Rojer trained with Kypriss after high school and lived with Kypriss and his wife, Sheri. He was overjoyed watching the French Open championship match. He said the win was especially gratifying for Rojer after having to pull out of the Tokyo Olympics when he tested positive for COVID.
“It’s such a great story, for both Julien and Marcelo,” Kypriss said by phone Monday. “Julien was so low after those Olympics, so I can’t tell you how proud I was, as his former coach, seeing him win this French Open title. It’s a great Miami story, a kid who went to Killian and still has a home here, making tennis history. And Marcelo being the first Central American to win a Grand Slam title.
“Everyone in the Miami tennis circles is talking about two things this morning — Nadal’s win and this doubles title by Julien and Marcelo. It’s very special.”