Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski made history at the Australian Open by clinching the men’s doubles title on Saturday. The duo triumphed over Australians Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans with a score of 7-6 (4), 6-4 in a thrilling final that lasted one hour and 49 minutes at Rod Laver Arena. This victory marks an incredible achievement for the sixth seeds, who only recently teamed up for their second tour-level event together, just two weeks after their debut in Adelaide.
Celebrating Milestones and Overcoming Challenges
This win is particularly significant for Harrison, as it represents his first Grand Slam trophy. For Skupski, it adds a second major title to his career, following his impressive Wimbledon victory in 2023. The post-match celebrations were heartwarming, with Harrison sharing the moment with his brother Ryan, while Skupski embraced his brother and coach, Ken, courtside.
Despite being wild cards, Kubler and Polmans put on a fantastic display for the home crowd, rallying from a 2-5 deficit in the opening set to push the match into a tie-break. However, Harrison and Skupski demonstrated their resilience by coming back from 3/4 down in the tie-break to win four consecutive points, ultimately clinching the first set. They maintained their momentum in the second set, breaking serve in the third game, and wrapped up the match with an ace from Harrison on their second championship point.
One of the key factors in their victory was exceptional serving accuracy. The champions won an impressive 80 percent of the points off their first serve, with statistics revealing they won 43 out of 54 service points throughout the match. This level of performance is a testament to their preparation and strategy.
After the match, Skupski reflected on their journey, mentioning that near misses at the US Open and French Open last season propelled him to analyze crucial moments and learn from them. He emphasized that his partnership with Harrison has rejuvenated his approach to the game. The duo laid the groundwork for their successful partnership during a December training week in Baton Rouge before kicking off their competitive season in Adelaide. Harrison expressed how special the experience was, crediting Skupski’s expertise for allowing him to play freely and confidently in Melbourne.