Salisbury loses in men’s semi-final semi but Skupski wins title in mixed doubles

By Paul Lagan at Wimbledon

Putney boy Joe Salisbury and his doubles partner suffered the heartbreak of a five set defeat at  the semi-final stage on Court No.1 today.

Salisbury and Rajeev Ram were the top seeds and expected to overcome their 14th seeded Australian opponents Matthew Ebden and Max Purcell.

Having gone two sets to love up, 6-3, 7-6, they lost a tie-break third set.

The titanic ninth game of that set which saw more than a dozen break points on Salisbury’s serve and advantages was the turning point.

Although Salisbury held that game after 15 minutes of struggle and inspiration, let alone copious drops of perspiration, it was the Aussie’s who seemed to be galvanised more.

They took the fourth set  6-4 before the puff went out of the duo and they succumbed 6-2 in the fifth set.

But having had five match points Salisbury and Ram will deem this as a major missed opportunity.

Ebden followed up this victory with a mixed double final on Centre Court later this evening.

On this occasion he came up against another British player, this time Neal Skupski from Liverpool and his partner Desiree Krawczyk. They were the defending champions. Ebden’ s partner was Samantha Stosur, also from Australlia.

Skupski and Krawczyk were simply too good and overpowered their opponents in straight sets 6-4, 6-3.