Joe Salisbury ends Britain’s 39-year wait for a main draw title at the French Open

Joe Salisbury ends Britain’s 39-year wait for a main draw title at the French Open by winning the mixed doubles alongside American Desirae Krawczyk

  • Joe Salisbury and Desirae Krawczyk beat Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev
  • The trumped the Russian duo 2-6 6-4 10-5 in the final on Thursday afternoon  
  • Salisbury is GB’s first French Open winner in one of the major draws for 39 years
  • It’s Salisbury’s second grand slam title, following the footsteps of John Lloyd

Joe Salisbury carved out a small piece of history for himself yesterday when he won the French Open mixed doubles title, the first GB player in 39 years to win a senior championship at Roland Garros.

On a day which saw Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Barbora Krejcikova secure their place in Saturday’s women’s final, Salisbury emulated John Lloyd, who in 1982 won the same event with Australian Wendy Turnbull.

The 27-year-old Londoner partnered American Desirae Krawczyk to defeat Russians Aslan Karatsev and Elena Vesnina 2-6, 6-4, 10-5, capitalising on the erratic play late on of Karatsev. 

Salisbury became Britain’s first French Open champion in one of the major draws for 39 years

It was a second Grand Slam title for Salisbury after he won last year’s Australian Open men’s doubles, although he and Krawczyk only needed to win three matches in Paris. 

He said they would not be playing together at Wimbledon as he had agreed to team up with compatriot Harriet Dart.

The women’s final will feature the world No 32 versus the No 33 after Barbora Krejcikova won a dramatic semi last night, ousting Greece’s Maria Sakkari 7-5, 4-6, 9-7.

He achieved the feat in the mixed doubles alongside American Desirae Krawczyk (right)

He achieved the feat in the mixed doubles alongside American Desirae Krawczyk (right)

Salisbury and Krawczyk beat Russian duo Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev 2-6 6-4 10-5

Salisbury and Krawczyk beat Russian duo Elena Vesnina and Aslan Karatsev 2-6 6-4 10-5

The Czech, better known for her doubles prowess, saved a match point at 3-5 in the decider and needed five of her own to win. She is bidding to win both the singles and doubles titles.

Russia’s Pavlyuchenkova, now 29, was once among the best teenage talents in the game but has taken a long time to mature. She defeated Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek 7-5, 6-3.

At the Viking Open in Nottingham Katie Boulter won the all-Brit third round clash against Heather Watson 7-6, 6-3 to make the last eight.

Jo Konta also reached her first WTA Tour quarter-final of the season with a 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 victory over Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine. 

Vesnina (R) and Karatsev (L) were better in the first set but Salisbury and Krawczyk kept pace

Vesnina (R) and Karatsev (L) were better in the first set but Salisbury and Krawczyk kept pace