Mouths wide open, cheek to cheek smiles, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos couldn’t quite believe what they just pulled off.
The Spanish-Argentine team erased three championship points in a blockbuster decider to eventually steal away a maiden US Open men’s doubles crown, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5, from British partnership Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski.
History repeated itself in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Saturday, as Granollers and Zeballos earned Grand Slam glory breakthrough at Roland Garros 2025, also with a 7-5 finish, and also against the same opponents.
It was a pretty miraculous escape act and the achievement still hasn’t sunken in yet.
“Of course, it's very, very emotional moment right now,” Zeballos told reporters. “I don't really know how we won those last points after what we did during the match. I mean, they were playing amazing.
“But we kept fighting. I think if I had to describe the match with one phrase it is ‘never give up,’ because we were pushing and pushing, pushing all the time. It was two hours and a half, mentally very tiring. At the end it paid off.
“I can't describe it. I'm so relieved and happy right now.”
The No.5 seeds faced defeat in the face at 4-5, 0-40 down in the third set. Cue an astonishing comeback. Eight points in a row for Granollers/Zeballos extended the high-octane clash and also chalked up the chances to snatch away the vital break.
The eighth of these points in succession was the moment of magic deserving of any Grand Slam trophy.
Granollers lunged right and at full stretch, latched onto an unplayable cross court forehand return winner, which glanced the very outside of the tramline.
Watching on TV in the player gym, singles world No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz leapt into joyous celebrations, having witnessed his fellow Spaniard’s spectacular shot.
“Yeah, after the match somebody told me. And then going up to the restaurant, I saw him,” revealed Granollers. “He was very, very happy for us. I saw the video. It was very funny.
“Of course, I like having his support, from a player like him. I really like him as a person also. Yeah, it was a funny moment.”
Back at the 2019 US Open and Granollers/Zeballos lost their opening major final as a team. They also were denied in the 2021 and 2023 Wimbledon finals. Would Grand Slam glory ever come? They finally broke that duck at Roland Garros and adding to their tally in New York so soon after caps a sensational season.
“Of course, this is an amazing feeling, especially because in 2019 we came lost the final. We were very close. I think we learned a lot from that final to try to push more for this one,” added Zeballos.
“I'm so happy, because also, when I look out and I saw my team there, my parents were there, that means a lot for me. I remember all my pictures in my head when I was a kid going to my father's club. So this is an unbelievable feeling. Unbelievable.”
