Chris Haggard and Ivo Karlovic struck gold in their partnership debut, defeating the all-American duo of James Blake and Mardy Fish 0-6, 7-5, 10-5 (Match TB) to capture the doubles title Sunday at the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships.

Crowd favorites Blake and Fish seemed perched for the title win after steamrolling the 5'10" South African and 6'10" Croat in the first set. They won 12 of 18 receiving points to record their second career bagel as a duo - their last one coming in the first-set of a losing effort in the 2005 San Jose quarterfinals.

Haggard and Karlovic finally succeeded in holding their first service game of the second set to get on the board, and earned a double-break chance with the score knotted at 5-apiece. They converted on their second opportunity, and used the momentum in the ensuing Match Tie-break where they overpowered the Americans.

Blake and Fish staved off three match points after the South African-Croat duo built a 9-2 lead, but failed the complete the comeback.

Both teams had won two Match Tie-breaks en route to Sunday's final. Haggard and Karlovic topped Harel Levy and Tomas Zib 10-7 in the first round Match Tie-break, and second seeds Simon Aspelin and Todd Perry 12-10 in the semifinals.

Blake and Fish prevailed 10-7 in the first-round decider against Ashley Fisher and Tripp Phillips, and saved two match points in their Match Tie-break against Justin Gimelstob and Stephen Huss in the quarterfinals.

Though Haggard and Karlovic were making their circuit debut as a tandem, both found success with different partners earlier this year.

Haggard partnered with Aspelin to reach the Adelaide semifinals and countryman Wesley Moodie to reach the Delray Beach final, while Karlovic advanced to the Australian Open quarterfinals with Czech Jan Hernych and the Zagreb semifinals with fellow Croat Lovro Zovko.

Blake and Fish, who received wild card entry into the tournament, won the 2004 San Jose title and the 2004 Houston title. They scored a walkover in their highly-anticipated semifinal clash with Bob and Mike Bryan after the World No. 1 team was forced to withdraw due to Bob's sore shoulder.