Former Bear Peers elevates game in 2015

Four years after leading Baylor to a quarterfinal finish in the NCAA Tournament, Australia-native John Peers is making waves on the ATP World Tour as one of the world's top doubles players.

Peers partnered with Scotsman Jamie Murray to begin the 2014 season, and the duo hit their stride midway through this year. They were runners-up at Wimbledon in July, falling to Frenchman and world No. 6 Jean-Julien Rojer and Romanian and world No. 3 Horia Tecau in the finals. The 13th-seeded team of Peers and Murray defeated the third-seeded duo and defending Wimbledon champions Vasek Pospisil (Canada) and Jack Sock (United States) in the third round.

In September, Peers and Murray reached the finals of the U.S. Open. Playing as the eighth seed, the duo fell to the 12th-seeded tandem of Frenchmen Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut. Peers and Murray became only the second doubles team to reach finals in consecutive Grand Slams since 2010.

Peers posted a 30-13 singles record as a senior at Baylor during the 2010-2011 season and was 38-6 in doubles, earning All-Big 12 honors in both and All-America honors in doubles with Roberto Maytin, a three-year letterwinner from Valencia, Venezuela.