Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata have ensured an Australian Open trophy has remained in home hands, storming to a shock straight-sets win in the men’s doubles final.
With singles champion Ash Barty retiring and Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis unable to defend their 2022 doubles crown due to injury, Kubler and Hijikata have flown the flag, beating Monaco’s Hugo Nys and Poland’s Jan Zielinski 6-4 7-6 (7-4) in Saturday night’s decider.
The men’s match didn’t get started on Rod Laver Arena until after 11pm with the women’s singles final stretching to three sets.
But plenty of local fans stuck around at Melbourne Park post-midnight to watch the unlikely victory and the pair being presented the trophy by doubles legends, American twins Mike and Bob Bryan.
They also will also split an impressive prize cheque of $695,000.
“I definitely didn’t think two weeks ago I would here – it’s a pleasant surprise,” said Davis Cup representative Kubler, the former junior world No.1 who’s completed a spectacular rise over the past 12 months after an injury-hit career.
“I need to thank Rinky because he was the one who asked me to play and now we’ve got the trophy.
“Rinky is only 21 and he’s a grand slam champion so he’s got a great future ahead of him.”
Playing together for the first time, the local wildcards cut a swathe through the draw to make the title match, knocking off three top 10 seeds including top-ranked Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski in the quarter-finals.
Nys and Zielinski were also playing in their maiden grand slam final and only linked as a pair last March.
However, they won the Metz trophy last season and reached the US Open quarter-finals.
Showing no signs of nerves, the Australians broke Zielinski’s serve to love early in the opening set.
Kubler himself served well throughout while Hijikata, at 21 eight years younger than his partner, was outstanding at the net.
They both outplayed their opponents from the back of the court to fire up their fans.
Kubler stormed through his serve to level at 6-6 in the second set, sending it to a tiebreak.
Kubler sent down a searing forehand to edge ahead 5-4 and with three championship points won the title through an error in a chaotic final point.
Nys was devastated to miss a stellar opportunity to win a major title.
“My grandfather played in the 50s and he died in 2017 and I wanted to do it for him … next time I guess,” a teary Nys said.
“Congratulation to Rinky and Jason – maybe you should think about playing doubles through the year.”
No all-Australian pairing since the legendary Woodies – Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde – had won the Open men’s doubles in a quarter of a century until last year.
Now Kubler and Hijikata have repeated the wildcard heroics of the ‘Special Ks’, Kyrgios and Kokkinakis.
Australians own two of the four men’s grand slam doubles trophies.
After losing last year’s Australian Open final to Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, Max Purcell and Matt Ebden won Wimbledon six months later.
