THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 15, 2023

Wesley Koolhof

Neal Skupski

Press Conference

KOOLHOF-SKUPSKI/Zeballos-Granollers

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by the Wimbledon men's doubles champions.

Guys, Wimbledon champions. How does that feel?

NEAL SKUPSKI: Amazing. It's something that, yeah, I'm speechless really. Something I never thought would ever happen. Obviously won the mixed doubles a couple times with Desirae Krawczyk.

Me and Wesley came together 18 months ago now. Started January 2022. We didn't think about this when we were starting together. It was more like starting with 250 level, 500. Managed to win seven titles last year. Obviously things had to change because we made world No. 1 last year at the end of November.

Yeah, the goal this year was to win a Grand Slam. Obviously done well in previous Grand Slams, making the quarterfinals. Obviously last year US Open final. But now to call ourselves Grand Slam champions in the men's doubles, amazing achievement for not just us but the whole team. Put a lot of work in.

Yeah, just an amazing feeling right now.

THE MODERATOR: Wesley?

WESLEY KOOLHOF: Yeah, same. Incredible feeling. Obviously I think we played six very high-level matches here on the grass with a great buildup towards the tournament as well, winning 's-Hertogenbosch a week ago, made semis in Queen's, played some good matches there. Took a few days off. Then, yeah, obviously because of the weather had almost a week here to prepare.

I think from, yeah, the first match on, it was good. It was very high standard. We, yeah, maintained that towards today. I think today was very high level from us, as well.

Yeah, extremely happy to come out on top here after two intense weeks.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Neal, three consecutive years. Fred Perry was the last guy, an icon. Can you even compute that really?

NEAL SKUPSKI: No, not really. I mean, honestly didn't really think about it. Some people are talking about going for the third mixed title.

Yeah, once that was over, obviously my attentions turned to -- I was always focused on winning the men's doubles here. I think maybe losing the mixed first round might have helped me. Obviously if I'd gone through in the mixed doubles, I might have been more tired here. With the rain, it would have been more congested, my schedule. Maybe it was a blessing in disguise. Sorry, Desirae.

Yeah, amazing achievement, when you said about Fred Perry, the last person to win three in a row. But, yeah, it's nothing that I was thinking about coming into the event. It was more thinking about me and Wesley, what we were going to do. Tactics have changed a little bit on the grass. It seemed to be working, especially in 's-Hertogenbosch. The faster courts of Queen's. I think we come into Wimbledon with seven matches under our belt, where other teams obviously faltered in earlier rounds, other events.

We had Eastbourne off. Came here. The team around us have done an amazing job. Couldn't thank them enough. Obviously it's nice personally to win three in a row.

Q. Was your brother here?

NEAL SKUPSKI: He was here, yeah. He did go to Ibiza for probably 14 hours and came back.

After the semifinal, he drove back straightaway after the semifinal, back to Liverpool. Obviously took four or five hours. Got back around I think 11:00. Had a 2 a.m. alarm. Drove to Manchester airport with his family. Got to Ibiza around 9:30. Enjoyed the day there. Had a 1 a.m. flight this morning back from Ibiza that was delayed a couple of hours. Got into Gatwick at 4:30 a.m. Slept in a pod at Gatwick airport. Got the car at 9 a.m. here. Yeah.

He was on court with me borrowing my clothes. Yeah, he's already left to go back to Ibiza with the family. He probably wants a pay wise, yeah.

Q. Were you glad he went through that sacrifice to be here? Did it help you emotionally?

NEAL SKUPSKI: I knew for a long time he was going to Ibiza. He always said, If you make the final, I'm coming back. I don't know if he ever believed that I'd make the final. But, yeah, amazing for him. Unbelievable commitment. Obviously he doesn't get family time that often. He's on tour with me. On holiday.

Yeah, obviously I said to him after the match, I couldn't thank him enough for coming back. It just felt like a normal team environment like it has been for the last two weeks. He can enjoy family time now and come back whenever he wants to now.

Q. His wife?

NEAL SKUPSKI: She's very supportive. She knew the situation. She was sending me messages this morning, sending me videos of the kids saying good luck and everything, which is kind of making me quite emotional this morning, to see the three little ones sending me messages.

Yeah, it's unbelievable from her and for Ken to kind of have full trust in me and back me with my career.

Q. You had to win, didn't you?

NEAL SKUPSKI: Yeah, yeah, there was a lot of pressure on me this morning for him to come back.

Yeah, I mean, for me personally, this was a little bit different to the US Open. We had a day off compared to the US Open. I just felt like us as a team, we were a lot more relaxed today. The team was more relaxed. Everyone knew their jobs. We were able to scout. We knew the job at hand.

I think we put it down to a T today. We served unbelievable. It's the best I think we've served all week. Yeah, just the team chemistry, the energy from both of us, the box, has been incredible for the past two weeks. It's definitely helped us get over the line.

Q. What is it about Neal that makes him such a great doubles partner? He won't say it about himself.

WESLEY KOOLHOF: True (smiling).

No, obviously something is working for him over here. I think Neal obviously is an amazing player, especially on the grass. He's one of the best volleyers in the game. I think his serve, serving abilities these few weeks, have been outstanding. Even returning-wise I think everything worked. He showed that today again.

Just an incredible partner. I think, yeah, he just loves playing here apparently. Obviously we got the crowd behind us as well. That's also something good for us. Can also be a bit more pressure obviously because everyone has their standards and their expectations because we're first seed, obviously. Everyone, yeah, sees us as the favorites. I think especially Neal dealt with it very good.

He had the experience of Centre Court, which I didn't. Yeah, I think it was very high level from Neal and from me as well in the end. Yeah, happy to be next to him on court, especially here.

Q. Neal, do you go to the States to see your fiancée?

NEAL SKUPSKI: No, she's here. She's been here the last two weeks. I'll go back to Liverpool for a few days. We'll go to the Champions Dinner tomorrow. Wesley's first time. I got to get him a nice suit, get him looking good.

Yeah, we'll go obviously back to our countries, my city Liverpool, then I'll go back over to the States for a few days, spend a bit of time there, relax, then we'll meet up again for the North American swing.

Q. Wedding date in mind?

WESLEY KOOLHOF: Very good question.

NEAL SKUPSKI: Don't put me on the spot. Yeah, we've obviously had talks and stuff, chatted about it. There's nothing concrete yet.

Q. Difficult for a tennis player, you have the ATP Finals...

NEAL SKUPSKI: Hopefully. It's looking good for the ATP Finals. Hopefully Davis Cup. But we're in a very tough group after the US Open in Manchester. Hopefully I'm picked. Sorry, Leon (smiling).

Yeah, it's one of those things, it's difficult to kind of make plans because you don't know how long your season's going to be. Yeah, just difficult. Yeah, one of those things.

Q. (Question about Palmerston.)

NEAL SKUPSKI: I'm on a WhatsApp group with the club. Palmerston, everyone is very happy right now. Seen videos of them all cheering, watching the TV. I'm not sure if there was a camera crew there. I honestly don't know. I knew there was maybe BBC going and Granada were going. I'm not sure if it actually came about. I know some people are talking to the stations tomorrow.

But, yeah, looked like they're having a pretty good time after we won the final.

Q. Would you love to show the trophy around Liverpool?

NEAL SKUPSKI: I'd love to, especially in front of the new stand that has been built. That's out of my control. That's something I would love to do, step out to Anfield and show all the local fans the trophy.

But, yeah, we'll have to wait and see.