Roland Garros 2025: Joe Salisbury & Neal Skupski through to historic men’s doubles final
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Britain’s Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski have made history at Roland Garros in becoming the first British men’s doubles finalists since 1936.
Salisbury and Skupski battled back to defeat ninth seeds Christian Harrison and Evan King 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6 (10-7) in two hours and 43 minutes to reach their first men’s doubles final in Paris.
The Brits – who lost to Harrison and King on their two previous meetings – came back from 5-3 down in the deciding set to clinch a place in Saturday’s final.
They are set to play fifth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos for the chance to lift the French Open title.
While Salisbury is a former mixed doubles champion at Roland Garros, coming into this week, neither of the Brits had made it past the quarter-final in the French capital.
Both former world No.1s, Salisbury and Skupski are no strangers to Grand Slam finals. Salisbury is the most decorated British men’s doubles player in the Open Era with three US Open and one Australian Open title, while Skupski won Wimbledon in 2023.
The Lexus GB Davis Cup duo have only teamed up full-time this year and have made finals in Doha and Barcelona.
After a tight opening set, the Brits led by a mini break twice in the tie-break but on both occasions Harrison came up trumps with some powerful returning. Having been behind through the whole tie-break, on their first set point opportunity, the 31-year-old American calmly punched away a backhand volley to steal the set away from the British stars.
Salisbury and Skupski quickly put their disappointment behind them and focused their attention on the second set, where Harrison came slowly out of the blocks. A double fault at 30-30 from the American and a Salisbury winner helped the Brits out to a 2-0 lead before holding serve to level at one set apiece.
The Americans had the upper hand throughout the third set and the Brits battled for their lives to stay in the match. They saved five break points on their opening three service games, but Harrison and King seemed to have the match wrapped up after finally breaking Skupski for the chance to serve for it at 5-3.
However, there would be one more twist in the tale. Like at the start of the second, Harrison got caught out on a nervy service game and the British team found a way to bring it back to 5-5.
Salisbury and Skupski again found themselves 6-3 down in the deciding tie-break, as the Americans continued to tighten up in the big points. Harrison and King made a series of uncharacteristic errors, and the Brits took full advantage – winning seven of the last eight points to punch their ticket into the final.
