Australian pair Matthew Ebden and John Peers have produced a glorious comeback to win gold in the men’s tennis doubles at Roland Garros, defeating Americans Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek in a third set super tiebreak, prevailing 6-7 (6), 7-6 (1), 10-8.

It is the first time Australia have won a gold medal in Olympic tennis since the “Woodies” Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge triumphed in Atlanta in 1996.

The Australians had to dig deep down a set and a break, but found a way against the American doubles specialists who had knocked out Spanish pair Rafa Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz in the quarters.

The comeback began when Peers finished a volley at break point when the score was at 3-4 in the second set. One game later it was Ebden at the net with the winner, and in the blink of an eye, the duo was up 5-4. The Australians maintained the momentum, working up the Roland Garros crowd into a frenzy.

They raced out to an 8-3 lead in the super tiebreak and, despite the crowd coming alive with “U-S-A” chants, held on to win 10-8.

The Americans had looked the better for much of the match, until momentum shifted in the second set. The Peers winner at break point on Ram’s serve got the score back to 4-4, quickly followed by Ebden’s heroics at the net one game later. And the crowd became involved for the first time, responding to Ebden’s urging to make more noise.

Ebden has been ranked No 1 in men’s doubles this year and alongside regular partner Rohan Bopanna he won the Australian Open. He is one of the biggest tour advocates for doubles, which faces an uncertain future in the professional game. So there was extra significance when the stadium, now close to full, responded to his raised arms in celebration, spinning around and urging the crowd to come alive.

Ram and Krajicek steadied however, their experience obvious. At 40 years and 138 days, Ram became the oldest player to contest an Olympic tennis final since the sport’s return in 1988. Krajicek, sprightly in comparison, was still 34. Just as they had done in the first set, they appeared steady going into the second set tie-break, after Ram held to love at 5-6 down.

But then the Australians took it up a gear. They won 14 of the following 17 points as the crowd roared its appreciation. The second set was theirs, and they had control of the deciding super tie-break.

The Americans would not give up however, and there was another twist. The Australians couldn’t convert on their first three match points, and at 9-8 on the Peers serve those chants of “U-S-A” rang out with renewed confidence. This time the Australians produced when it mattered, a smash at the net securing gold on a day full of life at Roland Garros.