British star breaks 97-year record by winning Wimbledon doubles title

15 July 2023 , 16:55

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Neal Skupski has won the men's doubles title at Wimbledon

British tennis star Neal Skupski has become the first person to win the mixed and men's doubles titles at Wimbledon since 1926.

Skupski and partner Wesley Koolhof defeated Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-4 in straight sets in Saturday's final. The dominant win means that Skupski picked up his first Grand Slam men's double title at at his home tournament.

The Brit has won the mixed double's title at the All England Club in the past two years in succession, but this is a new landmark for the 33-year-old. It also means he is the first person to have won the men's and mixed doubles since Leslie Godfree in 1926.

Godfree had won the men's doubles title alongside Randolph Lycett in 1923, before triumphing in the mixed doubles alongside Kitty Godree three years later. Skupski and Koolhof were the first seeds for the tournament this year and showed why they are rated so highly.

Skupski served the match out on Centre Court, before taking a lap of honour alongside his partner after their win. As well as breaking Godfree's record, the 33-year-old is also the first Brit to win the men's doubles at Wimbledon since Jonathan Marray did so in 2012.

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He has now won titles at Wimbledon in three successive years, the first British player to do so since Dorothy Round in 1937. The first seeds took control of the first set with the scores level at 3-3, overturning a 40-15 deficit on Granollers' serve. It was plain-sailing after taking that game, which Granollers double-faulted to lose.

His partner Zeballos also had struggles with his service game, slipping to 0-40 with the second set level at 2-2. Though he saved the first two break points, Koolhof converted the third with a well-placed volley.

Skupski served the winning point on Centre Court

Koolhof served to love to make it 5-3, with Skupski handed the chance to serve for the match in the 10th game of the set. His partner put the opening point away at the net, with the second point put wide by Zeballos.

A brilliant third serve gave the Brit three match points, which he duly took on the first attempt to spark wild celebrations from the home crowd. Skupski was clearly delighted to finally win the men's doubles.

"I don’t know what to say. I grew up watching this amazing Championships on TV, starting off a young boy at Palmerston Tennis Club in Liverpool with my dad and then growing up with my brother, who has been very influential in my career growing up," he said.

"This feeling at the moment doesn’t get any better. Me and Wesley came together 18 months ago and this year it was one of our goals to win a Grand Slam. Now that we’ve done it, it feels very special."

Jacob Leeks