Wimbledon 2023: Britain’s Neal Skupski crowned men’s doubles champion with Wesley Koolhof
ritain’s Neal Skupski has become a Wimbledon champion for the third year in a row and for the first time in the men’s doubles after a straight-sets victory in Saturday’s final alongside partner Wesley Koolhof.
The 33-year-old won the mixed doubles in both 2021 and 2022 with Desirae Krawczyk of the United States, but said the men’s doubles is the “one we want” ahead of the final, in which he and Koolhof beat Horacio Zeballos and Marcel Granollers 6-4, 6-4 in one hour and 17 minutes.
Skupski and Koolhof were the top seeds heading into the competition, and knocked out some familiar names in the likes of Aslan Karatsev of Russia and Jordan Thompson of Australia on their way to victory on Centre Court.
They saved break points at 2-2 in the first set before holding serve and immediately breaking the 15th seeds. Granollers and Zeballos had won 81 per cent of the points on their first serve during the opening set, so Skupski and Koolhof were understandably delighted to take it.
And the first set theme was repeated in the second — taking it 6-4, with Skupski falling to the ground overcome by emotion at the winning moment.
Skupski, whose brother Ken is his coach and former hitting partner, said: “Growing up watching this amazing Championships, this feeling at the moment doesn’t get better.
“This was one of our goals this year: to win a Grand Slam. Now we’ve done it, it feels very special.”
