It’s a doubles double for prolific Salisbury

JOE SALISBURY will be able to claim something that is beyond even Emma Raducanu — he won two titles at the 2021 US Open.

The 29-year-old from Putney last night added the mixed doubles trophy to the men’s doubles he won on Friday, this time with another American partner, Desirae Krawczyk. He is the first man since Bob Bryan 11 years ago to win both.

The Anglo-US pairing defeated El Salvador’s Marcelo

Arevalo and Mexico’s Giuliana Olmos 7-5, 6-2 in a 73-minute match that served as a warm-up act for the main event later.

‘It’s been an incredible couple of weeks being here with the fans back, it has been so much fun,’ said Salisbury. ‘To come away with two titles. I couldn’t even have dreamed of that.’

This was the conclusion to an extremely lucrative fortnight’s work for the British No 1, who has established himself as one of the world’s leading doubles practitioners.

He will take home combined prize money of £296,000, adding £58,000 from the mixed.

Coming on three hours before Raducanu to set the tone, they broke at 5-5 in the first set and then at the start of the second.

The match — which featured four players who all went through the US college system — was put beyond doubt when Salisbury’s poaching at the net secured a second break of the set for 5-2 and Krawczyk served it out.

Salisbury (left) has now won four Grand Slam titles, the latest before this having been the mixed at the French Open again alongside Krawczyk.

Already Jamie Murray, whom he defeated in the men’s final, may see his tally of seven coming under threat.

One of nine GB players in the top 100 for men’s doubles, Salisbury is ranked No 4 in the world and would be higher if mixed was taken into the equation.