Australian Open 2026: GB's Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison win men's doubles title

MELBOURNE – In a stunning validation of a newly-formed partnership, Great Britain's Neal Skupski and American Christian Harrison have clinched the Australian Open men's doubles championship. The duo, competing in their debut Grand Slam together, delivered a composed and powerful performance to overcome Australian wildcards Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans in a straight-sets victory, 7-6 (7-4) 6-4, under the lights of Rod Laver Arena.

The triumph marks a significant career milestone for both players. For the 36-year-old Skupski, it is his second Grand Slam men's doubles title, cementing his status as one of the world's elite doubles specialists. For Harrison, 31, it represents a career-defining first major crown, the culmination of a long and often challenging journey on the professional tour.

A High-Stakes Victory

The final was a contest of nerve and execution. The opening set was a tightly-wound affair, with neither team yielding a break of serve. It fittingly progressed to a tiebreak, where the experience of Skupski and the powerful groundstrokes of Harrison proved decisive, as they secured the set 7-4.

Capitalising on their momentum, the British-American pair seized the critical opportunity in the second set. They earned the lone break of the match, applying relentless pressure on the Australians' serve. From there, they demonstrated formidable composure, serving out the match with authority to seal the championship in one hour and 46 minutes.

• Key Moment: The first-set tiebreak. After 12 games without a single break point being converted by either team, Skupski and Harrison raised their level, with Skupski's deft net play creating crucial mini-breaks that the Australians could not recover.

• Match Decider: A single service break in the second set was all that separated the teams. At 3-3, a series of powerful returns from Harrison forced errors from the hometown pair, allowing Skupski and Harrison to secure the advantage they would not relinquish.

A Partnership Forged from Opportunity

This championship run is the result of a strategic and swift adaptation by Skupski. The new partnership was formed just weeks before the tournament, representing an almost immediate return on investment.

Skupski entered the 2026 season following a highly successful 2025 campaign with fellow Briton Joe Salisbury. That partnership yielded two Grand Slam final appearances, at the French Open and the US Open. However, Salisbury subsequently announced an indefinite break from the sport to focus on his mental health, leaving Skupski in search of a new partner ahead of the Australian swing.

The Liverpudlian teamed up with Harrison for the first time at the Adelaide International, a key warm-up event. Their immediate chemistry was evident as they advanced to the semi-finals, a promising signal of the success that was to follow in Melbourne.

• Timeline of a Title: The partnership was a whirlwind success. They played their first-ever competitive match together in early January in Adelaide and, less than four weeks later, are Grand Slam champions. This rapid synergy is exceptionally rare at the highest level of the sport.

Skupski: The Veteran Asset

For Neal Skupski, this victory is another chapter in a decorated career. It is his second men's doubles Grand Slam, adding to the Wimbledon title he won in 2023 alongside Dutchman Wesley Koolhof. This latest triumph demonstrates his remarkable adaptability and his ability to achieve top-tier results with different partners, a highly valued attribute in the fluid market of the doubles tour.

• Skupski's Grand Slam Ledger: This Australian Open title places Skupski in an elite group of active players with multiple men's doubles majors. His record now includes:
  • Winner: Wimbledon 2023 (w/ Koolhof), Australian Open 2026 (w/ Harrison)
  • Finalist: US Open 2022 (w/ Koolhof), French Open 2025 (w/ Salisbury), US Open 2025 (w/ Salisbury)

The British Doubles Ascendancy

Skupski's win underscores a period of unprecedented strength for British men's doubles tennis. The result marks the third time in the last five Grand Slam tournaments that a British player has been part of the winning men's doubles team. This trend points to a robust pipeline of talent and a strategic focus that is paying significant dividends on the world stage.

• The British Invasion: The recent run of success highlights the nation's growing dominance in the discipline.
  • Australian Open 2025: Henry Patten (GBR) and Harri Heliovaara (FIN)
  • Wimbledon 2025: Julian Cash (GBR) and Lloyd Glasspool (GBR)
  • Australian Open 2026: Neal Skupski (GBR) and Christian Harrison (USA)

This sustained success suggests that Great Britain's investment in doubles is creating a new generation of specialists capable of competing for and winning the sport's biggest prizes.

Implications and The Path Forward

This victory has significant implications for the remainder of the 2026 season.

Skupski and Harrison will now be viewed as a major force on the ATP Tour. The win comes with a substantial financial reward—a shared prize purse estimated at over A$750,000—and a massive infusion of 2,000 ranking points. This will catapult them to the top of the ATP Race to Turin, immediately establishing them as prime contenders for the prestigious year-end ATP Finals.

The immediate question is the partnership's future. Given this spectacular debut, it is almost certain they will continue their collaboration through the European clay and grass-court seasons, targeting further success at the French Open and Wimbledon. For Skupski, it solidifies his position at the top of the game, while for Harrison, it provides a platform for a career renaissance and entry into the highest echelon of men's doubles.