MELBOURNE, Jan 31 – Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison, the sixth-seeded British-American pair, defeated Australia’s Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans 7-6(4), 6-4 to claim the Australian Open men’s doubles championship. This triumph marks their first Grand Slam title as a partnership.
First Major Win for Harrison
The victory delivers Harrison his inaugural Grand Slam crown, celebrated amid enthusiastic cheers from the local crowd. For Skupski, it represents his fourth doubles and mixed doubles major, though his initial success beyond Wimbledon.
Match Highlights Under Closed Roof
Rain prompted the closure of the Rod Laver Arena roof, setting the stage for a brisk start to the final. Skupski and Harrison surged ahead 4-2 in the opening set, only for Kubler and Polmans to draw level with fervent home support. The set extended into a gripping tiebreak, which the duo edged out thanks to Skupski’s commanding overhead smash.
In the second set, Harrison and Skupski seized an early break and held firm against the Australians’ resilient pushback. The home pair saved two championship points, but the seeds sealed the win on their third opportunity when Harrison fired an unreturnable ace straight down the center.
