British duo become first all-British champions at SW19 since 1936
By Reuters

LONDON — Britain’s Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool etched their names into the history books on Saturday, capturing the Wimbledon men’s doubles title with a commanding 6-2, 7-6(3) win over Rinky Hijikata of Australia and David Pel of the Netherlands.

The fifth-seeded pair became the first all-British team to win the men’s doubles crown at the All England Club since 1936, when Pat Hughes and Raymond Tuckey last achieved the feat.

“This just sounds incredible when you say it,” Glasspool reflected after lifting the trophy. “We’ve had Brits win the title in recent years, but to do it as a team—two Brits together—it means a lot.”

Cash and Glasspool entered the final in top form, having already won titles at Queen’s Club and Eastbourne earlier in the summer. They carried that momentum into Centre Court, breaking Pel’s serve early in the opening set and cruising through it with confidence and precision.

Hijikata and Pel, who joined the tournament as late alternates and survived match points in their opening two rounds, pushed back in the second set. They saved a break point early and leveled the score at 4-4 after trailing. But in the decisive tiebreak, the British pair tightened their grip and closed out the match to a raucous ovation from the home crowd.

“We’ve played every possible grass match this summer,” said Cash. “There was a lot of buzz and pressure on us coming into Wimbledon. To actually do it—what everyone was hoping we’d do—is just surreal.”

Despite the loss, Hijikata and Pel were all smiles. Remarkably, the duo only teamed up for the first time on the day the tournament began.

“We hadn’t even spoken before Wimbledon,” Pel, 34, laughed. “To make the final together—it’s been unreal.”

Hijikata, who won the 2023 Australian Open doubles title with Jason Kubler, echoed the sentiment: “It’s been a crazy ride. David brought amazing energy and made it really easy for me out there. Playing on Centre Court at Wimbledon is a dream come true.”