British star Neal Skupski clinches Wimbledon glory in men's doubles
British star Neal Skupski makes history after clinching Wimbledon men’s doubles glory alongside Wesley Koolhof – as he joins Fred Perry in the record books following THIRD title at SW19 in as many years
- Neal Skupski and partner Wesley Koolhof won the Wimbledon men’s doubles
- Doubles specialist Skupski completed a rare hat-trick at SW19 after the victory
- He entered the record books after winning three titles in three consecutive years
- Latest Wimbledon 2023 news, including schedule, travel updates and results
Liverpool’s Neal Skupski joined legend Fred Perry in the record books as he and doubles partner Wesley Koolhof justified their top seedings in the men’s doubles.
Skupski, mixed doubles champion in the previous two years, completed a rare hat-trick when he and Dutchman Koolhof broke once in each set to down 15th seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos.
It meant 33-year-old Skupski became the first British player to win titles in three consecutive Wimbledon championships since Dorothy Round in 1937.
The iconic Perry achieved the same feat between 1934 and 1936, all in the men’s singles.
Nowhere was Skupski’s achievement on Centre Court more enthusiastically received than at the Palmerston tennis club in the Allerton area of Merseyside where he learned to play and is still a regular visitor.
British star Neal Skupski (left) won the Wimbledon men’s doubles with partner Wesley Koolhof
Skupski completed a rare hat-trick after he and Koolhof emerged victorious in straight sets
The Liverpool-born star (right) has now won three titles at SW19 in three consecutive years
Yesterday a television crew attended to witness the joy among the local members and in Ibiza too there would have been delight with Neal’s brother and coach Ken Jr missing the final because he’d already booked a holiday.
Neal himself was given a standing ovation by the Wimbledon crowd as he lifted the trophy and said courtside: ‘This moment doesn’t get any better. I grew up watching this amazing championship as a young boy.
‘Me and Wesley came together 18 months ago and this was one of our goals.’
Skupski and Koolhof, a year his senior, had dropped only one game en route to the final and were in command once they’d overturned a 40-15 deficit on Granollers’ serve at 3-3.
Skupski had started the turnaround with a lobbed return that set up his partner to put away the volley and Granollers appeared to lose belief from there, double-faulting to concede the game.
The second set followed a similar pattern. At 2-2, Zeballos flopped to 0-40 and though he saved the first two break points, he was powerless to stop Koolhof converting the third opportunity with a well-placed volley.
Skupski was an energetic presence throughout. Too intense at one point when his ferocious half-volley accidentally struck a cowering Granollers on the back at approaching a hundred miles an hour, bringing a gesture of apology from the Meresysider.
Skupski and Koolhof celebrated wildly after beating Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos
An energetic presence throughout, Skupski served out the match to clinch the silverware
Other than that, it was fairly plain-sailing. Koolhof served to love to make it 5-3 in the second set, leaving Skupski with the honour of completing the match.
The proud Liverpool fan – he has promised to give Jurgen Klopp a game of Padel – was cheered from his chair after the handover and gave himself a little fist pump of concentration before he started.
The opening point was dollied up for Koolhof to put away at the net. His second serve on the second point was put wide by Zeballos for 30-0.
An unreturnable first serve gave the pair three match points and they took it on the first, Skupski and Koolhof celebrating with a deserved hugs at the net.
In doing so, Skupski became the first British winner of the men’s doubles since Jonathan Marray who was successful in 2012 alongside Frederik Nielsen of Denmark.
American Desirae Krawczyk also deserved to share part of Skupski’s glory having won the mixed doubles title with him in 2021 and 2022.
A respectful Zeballos had no complaints about the result. ‘They played much better than us. They did well under pressure and we didn’t,’ he said.
Koolhof said with the trophy in his hands: ‘To hold this beauty is very special.’
Skupski collapsed to the floor after becoming the first British men’s doubles winner since 2012
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