US Open Men’s Doubles Final
In an exhilarating finish at the US Open, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos triumphed in the men’s doubles final, securing their second Grand Slam title of the year. The match concluded with scores of 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5 against British competitors Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, marking a remarkable comeback in the third set. This victory follows their earlier success at the French Open, where they also overcame Salisbury and Skupski to clinch their first major championship titles.
Post-Match Reactions
Expressing his joy post-match, Granollers shared the pride he feels in competing alongside Zeballos, stating,
“This year we are having results and I’m very happy to do it with him because we fight hard.”
Their achievement at the US Open not only comes with a $1 million prize but also illustrates a significant turnaround, considering the pair had previously faced challenges in their first three major finals together.
Match Highlights
The match was fraught with tension as they narrowly avoided defeat when Salisbury and Skupski held three match points while leading 5-4 in the final set. Demonstrating resilience, Granollers and Zeballos rallied to win the subsequent eight points and earned their only break of the match, with Granollers making a crucial return shot into an open corner, granting them a 6-5 advantage. Subsequently, Granollers served out the match, much to the excitement of fellow Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who was cheering them on from the workout area.
Future Aspirations
For Salisbury, this match represented an opportunity to secure a fourth title at the US Open after dominating the event alongside Rajeev Ram from 2021 to 2023. This season, he and Skupski have formed a new partnership, but their efforts have yet to yield a victory in any of their five finals this year, a sentiment echoed by Skupski as he expressed hope for success in future competitions:
“We’ll keep working hard, and these finals will come our way one day.”
Statistical Overview
Statistically, the closely contested final showcased the prowess of both teams, with Granollers and Zeballos edging Salisbury and Skupski in total points, 98 to 97. This match further cemented the dominance of Granollers and Zeballos over their opponents, as it marked their third victory against them in Grand Slam tournaments this year, including a previous match in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Looking ahead, Skupski remains optimistic, suggesting,
“So why not make it Australia? We’ll go again and hopefully we’ll have another great match.”
