ATPTour.com highlights 5 doubles groups whose chemistry additionally produced consistency to get pleasure from standout seasons in 2023.
Dodig/Krajicek Finish Year-End No. 1
The floor or situations didn’t matter, Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek have been a profitable machine in 2023. Tied for a season-leading 5 tour-level titles, the Croatian-American crew completed as Year-End ATP Doubles No. 1 offered by Pepperstone for the primary time.
The right-handed Dodig and lefty Krajicek gained their first main title collectively at Roland Garros one yr after reaching the championship match in Paris. The duo claimed all 5 of its titles at or above the ATP 500 stage and gained on all three surfaces, triumphing in Rotterdam, Monte-Carlo, London/Queen’s Club and Beijing.
Finishing 2023 with a 39-15 file, 38-year-old Dodig and 33-year-old Krajicek additionally made finals at ATP Masters 1000 Miami, Adelaide-2 and Eastbourne, and superior to the semi-finals of the US Open.
“We had an excellent yr, performed very constant,” Dodig mentioned. “All the laborious work we put on this yr, it is simply wonderful to complete the yr because the primary crew and actually proud and pleased about that.”
Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek have a good time after clinching the Roland Garros title. Credit: Emannuel Dunand/AFP by way of Getty Images
Ram/Salisbury Earn US Open Hat-trick, Defend Turin Title
If the stakes are excessive, you higher be careful for Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, who discover their finest stage when it issues most. Prior to the US Open, the American-British duo had endured a modest season by their requirements. They held a 20-16 file on the yr heading into the season’s last main and have been sixteenth within the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.
Ram and Salisbury then made historical past on the US Open after they grew to become the primary crew within the Open Era (since 1968) to win at Flushing Meadows three consecutive years.
The four-time main champions prolonged their New York profitable streak to 18 matches and maintained their type for a late-season surge. Ram and Salisbury collected the Vienna crown and efficiently defended their title on the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, the place they survived three Match Tie-breaks.
“This partnership is actually particular. It has been 5 years and we’ve gotten fairly shut,” Salisbury mentioned. “Especially on the courtroom and we all know we’re going to give it our all. Fight laborious and provides it our greatest till the very finish.”
Bopanna/Ebden Prove Age Is Just A Number
Quick success and historical past made.
Teaming for the primary time this yr, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden wasted no time coming into the winners’ circle. The Indian-Australian pair triumphed in Doha and on the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, the place the 43-year-old Bopanna grew to become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion.
“Even at our ages we’re nonetheless bettering, nonetheless gelling as a pair, our execution, our chemistry,” the 36-year-old Ebden mentioned in March.
In the second half of the season, Bopanna and Ebden made deep runs at nearly each event they competed in, making the ultimate on the US Open, in Shanghai and Paris. At the season’s last main, Bopanna grew to become the oldest Grand Slam doubles finalist within the Open Era. Not dangerous for somebody with no cartilage in his knees.
The duo additionally reached the final 4 at Wimbledon, the place Ebden gained in 2022 alongside Max Purcell, and on the Nitto ATP Finals.
Koolhof/Skupski Win Maiden Slam
In simply two seasons as companions, Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski loved nice success. Last season, the Dutch-British duo captured seven-tour titles and completed because the year-end No. 1 doubles crew. Yet one factor was lacking from their trophy cupboard: a significant title. Until this yr’s Wimbledon, the place they dropped only one set en path to profitable the grass-court main.
“I don’t know what to say,” Skupski mentioned in disbelief. “Growing up watching this wonderful championships, beginning off a younger boy at Palmerston Tennis Club in Liverpool. Going on the market with my dad, after which clearly rising up with my brother [Ken Skupski] who has been very influential in my profession.
“This feeling for the time being doesn’t get higher. Me and Wesley got here collectively 18 months in the past, and this yr this was certainly one of our objectives, to win a Grand Slam. Now we’ve performed it, it feels very particular.”
Skupski grew to become the primary Briton to triumph within the Wimbledon males’s doubles since Jonathan Marray in 2012, whereas Koolhof was the primary Dutchman since Jean-Julien Rojer in 2015.
Hijikata/Kubler Treat Home Crowd To Title
For the second consecutive season, a wild card Aussie duo launched into a fairytale run to triumph at their house Slam. After Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis’ secured the Australian Open title in 2022, Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler adopted in January.
Despite teaming for the primary time, Hijikata and Kubler dropped simply two units throughout six matches to be topped champions. With vocal house assist feeding off Hijikata and Kubler’s power, the duo grew to become simply the fifth unseeded crew to win the Australian Open trophy.
“[Rinky] was the rationale we teamed for this event,” Kubler mentioned. “I wasn’t certain after which Rinky requested me and I mentioned yeah and determined to play. Two weeks later and we’ve the trophy, so a giant thanks to Rinky.”
Read all tales in our Best Of 2023 overview.
Source web site: www.atptour.com
