GB’s Glasspool & Cash make history with doubles title

GB’s Glasspool & Cash make history with doubles title

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When Julian Cash sent down the irretrievable overhead smash that sealed a historic Wimbledon men’s doubles title, his partner Lloyd Glasspool’s reaction was somewhat unexpected.

Becoming a champion at the All England Club usually involves falling flat on your back on the turf, tears of joy or dashing to the coaching box to embrace loved ones.

But for Glasspool, it was a much more muted affair.

“My celebration is no celebration,” he told BBC Sport.

While Cash turned to his doubles partner and raised a fist before leaping in the air, Glasspool simply walked towards the net to shake their opponents’ hands with a blank look on his face.

“It’s a little flip on the norm,” Glasspool said.

“It stems from when I used to play with [Harri] Heliovaara – the winner here last year – because he was known for his massive celebrations.

“I always felt I’ve got to be the opposite otherwise it’s just too much and it’s just stuck with me. I kind of like it – I’ll keep it going.”

Cash and Glasspool made history by becoming the first all-British pair to win the men’s doubles title at Wimbledon for 89 years with a 6-2 7-6 (7-3) victory over unseeded team Rinky Hijikata and David Pel.

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Cash, 28, and 31-year-old Glasspool had already become the first all-British pair to reach the final since Mike Davies and Bobby Wilson in 1960.

But this is the first time since Pat Hughes and Raymond Tuckey at Wimbledon in 1936 that two Britons have been crowned men’s doubles champions at a Grand Slam.

“When you say it, it sounds incredible. I didn’t think too much about it,” Glasspool said after a thrilling match.

“We will never forget this day for all our lives.”

Cash added: “We had two goals this year – one was to make it to Turin [ATP Finals] and the other was to win a Slam.

Motorbikes, mortgages and sleeping with racquets

Cash and Glasspool watched on 12 months ago as their former partners won the title at SW19 – Cash has previously partnered compatriot Patten, while Glasspool was paired with Heliovaara.

Having immediately clicked with a similar game style and ambition, they have now had a taste of that success themselves with a maiden Grand Slam title less than one year after teaming up.

As a child, Brighton-born Cash immediately showed promise with a tennis racquet, obsessing over the sport to the point that his mum, Alison, says he would take his racquet to bed.

Both he and Glasspool attended university in the United States, with Cash only turning professional in the doubles in 2022, while Glasspool has competed on the Tour for the past decade.

The pair will split the £680,000 prize money and while Glasspool has been trying to “figure out his mortgage numbers”, Cash says he may use the money to buy a new motorbike.

“I think that shows where we’re at in our lives, one of us is responsible and the other one is not!” joked Cash.

British doubles success continues at SW19

Seven different British men have now won Grand Slam men’s doubles titles since 2012.

At Wimbledon, Cash and Glasspool’s triumph follows that of Neal Skupski winning the title alongside Dutch partner Wesley Koolhof two years ago before Henry Patten and Finnish partner Harri Heliovaara last year.

Last month, Cash and Glasspool became the first all-British partnership to win the men’s doubles title at Queen’s in the Open era.

They followed that up with victory at Eastbourne and have won 17 matches on grass this season, losing just one.

“We have played a crazy amount of tennis on the grass,” Cash said.

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Source: BBC

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