Looking for Tennis and Racket Sports International News?
Dodig/Krajicek Top Standout Doubles Teams In 2023
ATPTour.com highlights five doubles teams whose chemistry also produced consistency to enjoy standout seasons in 2023.
Dodig/Krajicek Finish Year-End No. 1
The surface or conditions did not matter, Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek were a winning machine in 2023. Tied for a season-leading five tour-level titles, the Croatian-American team finished as Year-End ATP Doubles No. 1 presented by Pepperstone for the first time.
The right-handed Dodig and lefty Krajicek won their first major title together at Roland Garros one year after reaching the championship match in Paris. The duo claimed all five of its titles at or above the ATP 500 level and won on all three surfaces, triumphing in Rotterdam, Monte-Carlo, London/Queen’s Club and Beijing.
Finishing 2023 with a 39-15 record, 38-year-old Dodig and 33-year-old Krajicek also made finals at ATP Masters 1000 Miami, Adelaide-2 and Eastbourne, and advanced to the semi-finals of the US Open.
“We had a great year, played very consistent,” Dodig said. “All the hard work we put in this year, it's just amazing to finish the year as the number one team and really proud and happy about that."
Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek celebrate after clinching the Roland Garros title. Credit: Emannuel Dunand/AFP via Getty Images
Ram/Salisbury Earn US Open Hat-trick, Defend Turin Title
If the stakes are high, you better watch out for Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, who find their best level when it matters most. Prior to the US Open, the American-British duo had endured a modest season by their standards. They held a 20-16 record on the year heading into the season’s final major and were 16th in the Pepperstone ATP Live Doubles Teams Rankings.
Ram and Salisbury then made history at the US Open when they became the first team in the Open Era (since 1968) to win at Flushing Meadows three consecutive years.
The four-time major champions extended their New York winning streak to 18 matches and maintained their form for a late-season surge. Ram and Salisbury collected the Vienna crown and successfully defended their title at the prestigious Nitto ATP Finals, where they survived three Match Tie-breaks.
“This partnership is really special. It has been five years and we have gotten pretty close,” Salisbury said. “Especially on the court and we know we are going to give it our all. Fight hard and give it our best until the very end.”
Bopanna/Ebden Prove Age Is Just A Number
Quick success and history made.
Teaming for the first time this year, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden wasted no time entering the winners’ circle. The Indian-Australian pair triumphed in Doha and at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where the 43-year-old Bopanna became the oldest ATP Masters 1000 champion.
“Even at our ages we're still improving, still gelling as a pair, our execution, our chemistry,” the 36-year-old Ebden said in March.
In the second half of the season, Bopanna and Ebden made deep runs at almost every tournament they competed in, making the final at the US Open, in Shanghai and Paris. At the season’s final major, Bopanna became the oldest Grand Slam doubles finalist in the Open Era. Not bad for someone with no cartilage in his knees.
The duo also reached the last four at Wimbledon, where Ebden won in 2022 alongside Max Purcell, and at the Nitto ATP Finals.
Koolhof/Skupski Win Maiden Slam
In just two seasons as partners, Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski enjoyed great success. Last season, the Dutch-British duo captured seven-tour titles and finished as the year-end No. 1 doubles team. Yet one thing was missing from their trophy cabinet: a major title. Until this year’s Wimbledon, where they dropped just one set en route to winning the grass-court major.
“I don’t know what to say,” Skupski said in disbelief. "Growing up watching this amazing championships, starting off a young boy at Palmerston Tennis Club in Liverpool. Going out there with my dad, and then obviously growing up with my brother [Ken Skupski] who has been very influential in my career.
“This feeling at the moment doesn’t get better. Me and Wesley came together 18 months ago, and this year this was one of our goals, to win a Grand Slam. Now we’ve done it, it feels very special.”
Skupski became the first Briton to triumph in the Wimbledon men’s doubles since Jonathan Marray in 2012, while Koolhof was the first Dutchman since Jean-Julien Rojer in 2015.
Hijikata/Kubler Treat Home Crowd To Title
For the second consecutive season, a wild card Aussie duo embarked on a fairytale run to triumph at their home Slam. After Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis’ secured the Australian Open title in 2022, Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler followed in January.
Despite teaming for the first time, Hijikata and Kubler dropped just two sets across six matches to be crowned champions. With vocal home support feeding off Hijikata and Kubler's energy, the duo became just the fifth unseeded team to win the Australian Open trophy.
“[Rinky] was the reason we teamed for this tournament,” Kubler said. “I wasn’t sure and then Rinky asked me and I said yeah and decided to play. Two weeks later and we have the trophy, so a big thank you to Rinky.”
When you subscribe to the blog, we will send you an e-mail when there are new updates on the site so you wouldn't miss them.
