It isn’t always that you get the chance to win your home Grand Slam. And Christian Harrison ended up doing exactly that by lifting the men’s doubles trophy at the US Open. However, that was close to going for a toss, as his father went through a struggle right before the final match.
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Christian’s father, Pat Harrison, who is a Bradenton resident and coaches at the IMG Academy, is also his trainer. But right as he was about to play his finals, he got stuck at an airport for seven hours straight. The flight to New York was delayed for so long that it could have cost him the match altogether.
Former world No. 40 and also his son Ryan Harrison, who’s now a part of the Sky Sports analysis team, provided the good news. “My dad did make it,” he said later on.
“The funniest part about this is, he doesn’t fly much, Christian said as much whenever he was doing his post-match interview. So my dad’s like, ‘I’m going to come, all good’.”
He added that their father had a 6 AM flight. He reached the airport at 4 AM, and when it was delayed, he ended up sitting there until noon. Now that’s patience from a father who coached his sons to tennis greatness.
Thankfully, Pat was able to make it just in time to watch his son win the men’s doubles final with his partner, Neal Skupski, in straight sets. To make the moment even sweeter, Christian’s brother and former pro Ryan Harrison was also present courtside.
Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski put on an absolute show for the audience. They defeated the German duo, Tim Pütz and Kevin Krawietz, 6-4, 7-6, to win the US Open.
Earlier this year, Harrison and Skupski also took home the Australian Open doubles title as well.
How Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski Won the US Open Men’s Doubles Title
Christian Harris and Neal Skupski essentially sailed through the US Open. The pair did not drop a single set during their run.
They started by defeating Luca Sanchez and Arthur Reymond in their first-round match. They hit a combined eight aces and won a tie-break to propel themselves forward into their second-round match after winning 6-0, 7-6. This was actually the only match where they won a set 6-0.
Later, they defeated Jan Choinksi and Alexander Donski with powerful serves. Their first-serve win percentage stood at 86%, and their second-serve win rate was 68%, simply overpowering their opponents in the second round.
However, perhaps the pair’s biggest challenge ahead of the final was the semi-final match against World No. 1, Harri Heliövaara, and Henry Patten. The pair almost dropped their first set of the tournament against the top players.
However, they ensured they’d maintain their undefeated run and won the first set 7-6. In the second, Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski dug their claws into the tournament, ultimately winning 7-6, 6-2, and advancing to the finals.
Overall, there were many opportunities where the pair could have stumbled and dropped a set. Regardless, their excellent form helped them cruise through the entire tournament.
“Congratulations to Tim and Kevin on a great tournament,” Harrison said as he received his US Open doubles trophy. “It is never easy playing you guys. But making the final is a lot to be proud of… And thanks to my partner Christian. It has been great to get two major titles this year. I’m speechless, having done this at home.”
The moment is special in many ways. Not only did Harrison win his first US Open, but the pair also became only the third men’s team to win the title without dropping a set.
“I don’t know what to say as I am still in shock,” Skupski said. “The speech gets a little bit easier once you have won.”
Truly, a marvelous victory for both of them. Now, they’re only two trophies short of a career Grand Slam achievement.