LONDON: Fifth seed Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool closed their dreams summer with Wimbledon Crown and the First Grand Slam title as a pair as the British team set up Rinky Hijikata and David Pel 6-2 7-6 (3) in the Lord’s Doubles final on Saturday.
Queen’s Club and Eastbourne Champions Cash and Glasspool became the first all-British mating to won the All England Club Trophy since 1936, when Pat Hughes and Raymond Tuckey defeated their compatriots Charles Hare and Frank Wilde in the final.
“When you say it, it sounds incredible,” Glaspool said.
“We’ve had a Brit -winner this past year [Henry Patten]The year before it (Neal Skupski), so I didn’t think too much about it, but now we had to give you two so we did our best. “
The local favorites shot out of blocks after an early break thanks to a bad service game from Pel and drove through the opening set with minimum fuss, leaving fans buzzing on a sunshine midfield.
The Australian Dutch Duo of Hijikata and Pel saved a break at the start of the second set and applied pressure in the fourth game, but their opponents were equal to the task and took a step towards the title as they went 4-2 up.
Hijikata and Pel, who went into the tournament as alternating and survived match points in their first two rounds, drew level after eight games before Cash and Glasspool moved up a gear in a draw to prevail and sparkle huge celebrations.
“We’ve played a crazy amount of tennis on the grass, every match we might,” Cash said.
“So many people talked and got into this event. There was a lot of pressure on our shoulders. And the fact that we have been able to do what everyone was talking about is surreal.”
The runners cut cheerful figures despite the defeat.
“We didn’t even meet before the tournament,” said 34-year-old Pel. “I mean it was our first time talking that day the tournament started.”
Hijikata, who won the 2023 Australian Open title with Jason Kubler, called his All England Club Adventure a “crazy trip.”
“It’s been so fun to play with David,” said Hijikata.
“He has brought so much energy on the field. He has made it very easy for me out there. It’s a dream come true to play at the center court. A little crushed, but it was a lot of fun.”
