Skupski/Venus clinch Queen's crown

Neal Skupski and Michael Venus captured their first title as a team on Sunday at the cinch Championships, where they clawed past singles stars Taylor Fritz and Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6(5), 10-8.

The seventh seeds played fearlessly in the crucial moments, closing the net and striking heavy returns. Skupski and Venus won 88 per cent (37/42) of their first-serve points and raised their level in the Match Tie-break to triumph in London after 77 minutes.

"It has been very special," Skupski said. "First time winning at Queen's, first time winning with Mike. We went to University together and we go back a long way. We have never been able to play on Tour much together, so this was nice to play with him."

The Briton and Kiwi, who were teaming in just their third tour-level event together, were impressive throughout their run at the ATP 500. They defeated second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury in the quarter-finals and downed 2023 champs Ivan Dodig and Austin Krajicek in the last four, not dropping a set in either match.

Skupski, 34, is the first Briton to win the doubles title at Queen’s since Andy Murray won with Feliciano Lopez in 2019. Venus, 36, is the first player from New Zealand to win the title in the Open Era (since 1968).

"I think every match, especially with the doubles scoring format, if you're not switched on for a couple minutes, it can change very quickly," Venus said. "Those Match Tie-breaks, one or two shots can make a huge difference. I mean, before today, we managed to get through other matches in straight sets, had won three tie-breaks in the previous three matches. Won another tie-break today and then the [Match] Tie-break.

Fritz and Khachanov were teaming for the first time. Fritz also lost in the final at Queen’s last year. Khachanov won his only tour-level doubles title in 2023 at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Madrid with Andrey Rublev.

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