Ruben Gonzales and Korean Nam JiSung fell short in their title bid at the NSW Open after bowing in the finals on Saturday, Nov. 4, in Sydney, Australia.

The third-seeded tandem yielded to Americans Ryan Seggerman and Patrik Trhac, 6-4, 6-4, to settle for the runner-up honors in the ATP Challenger Tour event.

Gonzales and Nam started strong in the tournament by dropping only one set prior to their championship match against Seggerman and Trhac, but the duo appeared to have lost their steam.

Still, it was Gonzales’ best feat so far this year since also making into the finals of the Manama Challenger Tour in Bahrain with a different partner last February.

Prior to Gonzales and Nam’s finals defeat, the duo toppled Japanese pair Shintaro Mochizuki and Rio Noguchi in the opening round, 6-3, 6-4; Australians Calum Puttergill and Ajeet Rai in the quarterfinals, 6-2, 7-5; and another Aussie tandem in Blake Bayldon and Kody Pearson, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 10-8.

Gonzales and Nam also played in the Playford ATP Challenger Tour also in Australia a week ago, but made a first-round exit at the expense of Korean Hong Seongchan and Vietnam’s Nam Hoang Ly, 6-2, 6-2.

Gonzales is expected to improve his current ATP doubles ranking at 172.