Joe Salisbury completes ‘incredible couple of weeks’ as he wins US Open mixed doubles with Desirae Krawczyk

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Joe Salisbury and Rajeev Ram

Joe Salisbury completed the doubles double at the US Open with victory in the mixed partnering American Desirae Krawczyk.

Salisbury won his second men’s doubles Grand Slam title with American Rajeev Ram on Friday in what is very much the big prize in the doubles game.

But no slam title is to be sniffed at and Salisbury and Krawczyk can consider themselves the best mixed team in the business after adding New York silverware to their French Open crown.

They were both in the Wimbledon final as well, although on opposite sides of the net, with Salisbury choosing to partner a fellow British player in Harriet Dart only to lose to Krawczyk and another Brit, Neal Skupski.

Back together at Flushing Meadows they were untouchable again, beating Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos and Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador 7-5, 6-2.

Salisbury is the first man since Bob Bryan in 2010 to win both titles at the same US Open, and he said: “It’s been such an incredible couple of weeks just being back here playing the US Open with all the fans back.

“To come away with two titles, I couldn’t have even dreamt of that. To be playing on this incredible court and to top it off winning a title with Des, it’s amazing. We’ve had so much fun on the court together and with our whole team. I just can’t wait to be back here next year.”

The pair did not have things all their own way and Salisbury had to save four set points on his serve at 4-5. But they broke through in the next game and did not look back.

Krawczyk is only the seventh player to win three mixed doubles slam titles in the same year, while despite defeat, it was also a big occasion for Arevalo, the first player from Central America to compete in a Slam final.

He said: “I never thought I’d ever see the Salvadoran flag in the greatest venue in tennis so it’s a very special moment for me.”

History was made in the wheelchair event by Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid, who became the first men to win all four Slam doubles titles in the same year.

The British pair, who were heartbroken to lose in the Paralympic final, defeated Gustavo Fernandez and Shingo Kunieda 6-2, 6-1 to claim an eighth successive Slam title.

Desirae Krawczyk Joe Salisbury

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