Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison reached the US Open men's doubles final on Thursday after beating top seeds Henry Patten and Harri Heliovaara 7-6 (7-4) 6-2 in one hour and 23 minutes.
The win keeps Skupski and Harrison on course for a second Grand Slam title together this year and puts Skupski back in a final at the tournament where he is still seeking a first US Open crown. The pair have not dropped a set in New York, and Harrison's run comes after their Australian Open title earlier this year.
Skupski said the match came down to whether they could match the top seeds for intensity. Patten and Heliovaara had already beaten them a couple of times this year, but Skupski said his side brought the level they needed and were now looking forward to a final in New York. He added that both players were hungry, had worked hard to get there and knew what it felt like to win a Grand Slam.
That experience matters because Skupski has been here before. He won Wimbledon with Wesley Koolhof in 2023 and the Australian Open with Harrison earlier this year, while last year he and Joe Salisbury fell short in the US Open final after missing three championship points. Saturday gives him another chance to finish the job, but the same night also carries the weight of what happened to Rajeev Ram, who retired at 42 after his loss with Joe Salisbury and ended a career that included six Grand Slam doubles titles and three straight US Open men's doubles titles from 2021 to 2023.
Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz will stand across the net in the final after beating Salisbury and Ram 6-3 6-4. For Skupski and Harrison, the path is clear now: one more match, one more chance, and a title that would confirm they have become a pair the top seeds could not shake at the biggest event of the year.
