Jonny O’Mara and Ken Skupski captured their maiden tour-level doubles title as a team on Sunday, overcoming third seeds Oliver Marach and Philipp Oswald 6-3, 6-4 in the Sofia Open final.
The Britons were playing together for the first time since they reached the quarter-finals in Sofia last year. They produced a strong performance against Marach and Oswald, breaking three times and hitting five aces to secure their victory after 77 minutes.
“It is a nice feeling,” Skupski said. “I am chuffed for us. It has been a great tournament, we have had great fun together. It has been lovely to be back in Sofia and we have really enjoyed it. We have had a really good run together over the tournaments we have played in the past, so it is something we will probably have a chat about and maybe you could see us here again next year.”
[FOLLOW ACTION]
It is the second title O’Mara and Skupski have won together at all levels, after triumphing at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Mouilleron Le Captif in 2018.
“I feel good,” O’Mara said. “It has been a long time [since I won a title] and you start to question your level a little bit. It is great to be able to get that title and know this is the level you can compete at. To share this with Ken is class.
“It is not often you get to play doubles with someone whom you really like, so to have a big moment with Ken was the best feeling I have had on court maybe ever."
O’Mara, 26, has now won three tour-level doubles trophies, while Skupski has captured seven titles at this level. The 38-year-old clinched the Acapulco crown in March with brother Neal Skupski, who is competing in the San Diego Open final with Joe Salisbury on Sunday.
Austrians Marach and Oswald saved two match points in their semi-final victory and were aiming to win their second ATP Tour title as a team, after lifting the trophy in Gstaad in 2017.
The Britons were playing together for the first time since they reached the quarter-finals in Sofia last year. They produced a strong performance against Marach and Oswald, breaking three times and hitting five aces to secure their victory after 77 minutes.
“It is a nice feeling,” Skupski said. “I am chuffed for us. It has been a great tournament, we have had great fun together. It has been lovely to be back in Sofia and we have really enjoyed it. We have had a really good run together over the tournaments we have played in the past, so it is something we will probably have a chat about and maybe you could see us here again next year.”
[FOLLOW ACTION]
It is the second title O’Mara and Skupski have won together at all levels, after triumphing at an ATP Challenger Tour event in Mouilleron Le Captif in 2018.
“I feel good,” O’Mara said. “It has been a long time [since I won a title] and you start to question your level a little bit. It is great to be able to get that title and know this is the level you can compete at. To share this with Ken is class.
“It is not often you get to play doubles with someone whom you really like, so to have a big moment with Ken was the best feeling I have had on court maybe ever."
O’Mara, 26, has now won three tour-level doubles trophies, while Skupski has captured seven titles at this level. The 38-year-old clinched the Acapulco crown in March with brother Neal Skupski, who is competing in the San Diego Open final with Joe Salisbury on Sunday.
Austrians Marach and Oswald saved two match points in their semi-final victory and were aiming to win their second ATP Tour title as a team, after lifting the trophy in Gstaad in 2017.