Great Britain’s Neal Skupski and his new American partner Christian Harrison have booked their place in the men’s doubles final at the Australian Open, continuing an impressive debut Grand Slam run as a pairing.
The sixth-seeded duo, who are competing together at a major tournament for the first time, produced a composed and confident performance to defeat the experienced third seeds Marcel Granollers of Spain and Horacio Zeballos of Argentina. Skupski and Harrison claimed the semi-final in straight sets, winning 6-3, 7-6, with a tense tie-break decided 9-7.
For Skupski, now 36, the achievement marks yet another appearance in a Grand Slam final and highlights how quickly his new partnership has come together following a period of uncertainty at the end of last season.
Throughout 2025, Skupski competed in all four Grand Slam tournaments alongside fellow Briton Joe Salisbury, forming one of the most consistent doubles pairings on the men’s tour. However, despite reaching several latter stages, their campaigns were repeatedly halted by Granollers and Zeballos, who beat them in the French Open final, Wimbledon quarter-finals, and the US Open final.
That partnership was placed on hold after Salisbury announced he would be stepping away from professional tennis to focus on his mental health, citing struggles with anxiety. His decision left Skupski searching for a new partner ahead of the 2026 season.
With many established doubles teams already committed, Skupski admitted options were limited. However, teaming up with Christian Harrison has proven to be an inspired choice, with the pair immediately finding rhythm and chemistry on the Melbourne courts.
Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live, Skupski explained how the partnership came about.
“There weren’t really many players around because a lot of doubles guys stick together,” he said. “I landed on Christian, who I actually thought played the same side as me, but he wanted to play on the deuce side, so that worked out.”
The clarity over court positioning helped the pair settle quickly, allowing them to focus on strategy and execution rather than logistics. Their complementary styles have been evident throughout the tournament, combining solid baseline play with sharp net work and effective serving.
“We’re very happy with how it’s going so far,” Skupski added. “No matter what happens on Saturday, we’ll take a lot of confidence from this. But of course, it would be nice to walk away with a trophy.”
Their run to the final has been marked by discipline under pressure, particularly in the semi-final tie-break, where they held their nerve against Granollers and Zeballos—one of the most established and successful doubles teams on the tour.
Awaiting them in the final are Australian wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans, who delighted the home crowd by reaching the championship match. The Australian pair defeated Britain’s Luke Johnson and Poland’s Jan Zielinski in a three-set semi-final, winning 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
For Kubler and Polmans, the final represents a rare opportunity to lift a Grand Slam title on home soil, while for Skupski and Harrison, it is a chance to cap their debut major together with silverware.
Beyond his on-court success, Skupski also provided an update on former partner Salisbury, revealing the two have stayed in touch since Salisbury stepped away from the game.
“He’s definitely been travelling quite a bit,” Skupski said. “He’s been to South Africa, he’s been skiing for a couple of weeks, and he also got engaged, which is incredible news.”
Skupski was keen to stress the importance of giving Salisbury space, respecting his decision to step back from tennis and focus on his wellbeing.
“We speak a little bit but not too much,” he explained. “I didn’t want to keep pestering him. I just wanted to make sure he’s taking time away and not thinking too much about tennis at the moment.”
Despite the break, Salisbury has reportedly hinted at a potential return later in the season, possibly around Monte Carlo in April, should he feel ready to resume competition.
“When he’s right, hopefully we can touch base again,” Skupski said. “And hopefully he can come back and play great tennis.”
For now, Skupski’s focus is firmly on the present, with the Australian Open final offering an opportunity to secure another major title and further validate his new partnership with Harrison.
The rapid success of the pairing highlights Skupski’s adaptability and experience at the top level of doubles tennis. Transitioning from a long-standing partnership to a new one is rarely straightforward, particularly at Grand Slam level, yet Skupski and Harrison have navigated the change seamlessly.
As they prepare for the final, confidence is high, momentum is on their side, and the prospect of lifting the trophy looms large. Regardless of the outcome, their run in Melbourne has already established them as a pairing to watch in the months ahead.
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