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5 Doubles Storylines to Watch Heading into Clay Season: A New #1, WTA Parity, Isner the Doubles Specialist, & more

Hanlon Walsh · December 19, 2022

After an action-packed month of tennis on U.S. soil in Indian Wells, Miami, Charleston, and Houston, we saw a lot of exciting doubles developments come to fruition on both the men’s and women’s tours. From inaugural No. 1s being crowned to new teams emerging and top singles players like John Isner finding success in doubles, here are five storylines to keep an eye on as we officially kick off the clay court season this week.


Quick Navigation
  1. 1. Joe Salisbury crowned new No. 1
    1. Joe Salisbury: By the Numbers
  2. 2. WTA sees parity with key players absent
  3. 3. Isner leads “singles takeover” in doubles field
    1. By the Numbers
  4. 4. McCoco Eyes First Major Title
  5. 5. Trending and Slumping Teams
  6. #WatchMoreDOUBLES

1. Joe Salisbury crowned new No. 1

Joe Salisbury No. 1 player

After making semifinal and quarterfinal appearances at Indian Wells and the Miami Open with partner Rajeev Ram, 29-year-old Joe Salisbury recently became the newly minted No. 1 ATP doubles player. Salisbury passed Mate Pavic, who has struggled to keep up his impressive 2021 form alongside fellow Croatian partner Nikola Mektic.

Salisbury and Ram have arguably been the most consistent doubles team at the top of the men’s game since teaming up in 2019. Both are former NCAA standouts at the University of Memphis (Salisbury) and the University of Illinois (Ram) who have enjoyed successful careers on the professional doubles tour.

With two major titles and a Masters 1000 title under their belt, Salisbury and Ram have won at least one title every year while playing together. Look for them to continue making a big splash this summer in their fourth consecutive year as a doubles partnership.

Joe Salisbury: By the Numbers

  • 4 majors (two men’s doubles, two mixed doubles with Desirae Krawczyk)
  • 9-6 record in 2022
  • 8 career doubles titles

Related Podcast

Rajeev Ram Interview: Game Planning, In-Match Adjustments, Signals vs Talking & More


2. WTA sees parity with key players absent

Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Will Boucek at Indian Wells
We enjoyed running into Bethanie Mattek-Sands (left) at Indian Wells during a demo event with Tennis Warehouse and HEAD. Look forward to seeing her back on court later this year. #WatchMoreDOUBLES

After claiming the 2021 WTA Championships and 2022 Australian Open, it seemed like the top-ranked Czech duo of Katerina Siniakova and Barbora Krejcikova were poised for a dominant year ahead. With Krejcikova currently sidelined and having recently missed the Sunshine Double swing, this opened up more opportunities for the rest of the field to capitalize.

  • The unseeded Chinese team of Xu Yifan and Yang Zhaoxuan captured their first WTA doubles title at Indian Wells beating Muhammad/Shibahara 7-5, 7-6.
  • Vera Zvonareva/Laura Siegemund, 2020 U.S. Open doubles champions, took home the Miami Open crown with a 7-6, 7-5 win over Kudermetova/Mertens.
  • No. 4 Magda Linette/Andreja Klepac won the Credit One Charleston Open over Sania Mirza/Lucie Hradecka 6-2, 4-6, 10-7.

Who else has been missing in action lately besides Krejcikova?

  • No. 4 Hsieh Su-wei (expecting a baby)
  • No. 19 Luisa Stefani (injury)
  • No. 24 Nicole Melichar-Martinez (injury)
  • No. 27 Bethanie Mattek-Sands (taking time off and focusing on singles comeback)

Related Blog Post

How to Beat the #1 Team in the World: A WTA Doubles Scouting Report

While we look forward to the return of many top doubles players, a mix of compelling teams have formed this year in their absence. Keep an eye out for Gaby Dabrowski/Gugu Olmos, Ena Shibahara/Asia Muhammad, and Desirae Krawczyk/Demi Schuurs to continue making a dent on the doubles circuit if they keep playing together.

Gaby Dabrowksi and Gugu Olmos at 2021 Indian Wells
No. 9 Gaby Dabrowski (left) and No. 20 Gugu Olmos (right) talk strategy during a night match at Indian Wells, where they made an impressive run to the semi-finals.

Related Podcast

Gaby Dabrowski Interview: Doubles Strategy & How to Support Pro Doubles


3. Isner leads “singles takeover” in doubles field

Packed house on Stadium 2 for doubles at Indian Wells
John Isner/Jack Sock took down top seeds Nikola Metkic/Mate Pavic in front of a packed house at Indian Wells on Stadium 2.

One of the more surprising doubles storylines of 2022? American John Isner captured the “Doubles Sunshine Double” at Indian Wells and Miami with different partners.

Isner and Jack Sock, who many consider to be the best doubles player in the world right now, capped off an impressive run at Indian Wells defeating Santiago Gonzalez and Eduardo Roger-Vasselin 7-6(4), 6-3 in the finals. Along the way, they knocked off a lineup of formidable teams including Mektic/Pavic, Kyrgios/Kokkinakis, Lopez/Tsistipas, and Golubev/Zverevev.

Talking Alcaraz, tennis gambling, Isner as doubles specialist? This week's @sinow column: …https://t.co/QFhAiIPcqT

— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) April 6, 2022

In Miami, Isner partnered with fellow top singles player Hubert Hurkacz of Poland to defeat the red-hot team of Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhoff 7-6(5), 6-4. As a result, Isner moved up to No. 28 in the doubles rankings, only a few spots behind his current singles ranking of No. 23 (as of April 11, 2022).

With Isner’s singles career likely approaching the finish line soon, you wonder if his recent doubles success makes him think “what if?” whenever he decides to hang up his singles racquets.

With his serve, size, and ability to play well with multiple partners, could we see him extend his career to strictly be a doubles specialist?

By the Numbers

  • 2022 doubles record: 16-3
  • 2022 doubles prize money: $463K
  • Current doubles rank: 28
  • Career doubles titles: 8

Along with Isner, other predominantly singles players have made a big splash on the doubles circuit this year including 2022 Australian Open champions, Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis (“Special K”), Aslan Karatsev and Andrey Rublev, Stefano Tsitspias, Alexander Zverev, and many others. Will we continue to see a “singles takeover” on clay and grass?

Related Podcast

5 Doubles Strategy Lessons from Indian Wells


4. McCoco Eyes First Major Title

Caty McNally and Coco Gauff during Indian Wells doubles match

In just a few short years playing together, the young American duo of Coco Gauff and Caty McNally have arguably become the biggest crowd favorites and the most marquee team in doubles right now on either tour. They finished with consistent results at both Sunshine Doubles events, making the quarterfinals at Indian Wells and semifinals in Miami, but fell to more experienced teams in super tie-breakers on both occasions.

Both Gauff and McNally are sitting on the edge of the Top 10 in the current rankings, with Gauff at No. 10 and McNally at No. 13 (as of April 11, 2022). On the heels of a 2021 U.S. open runner-up performance, are they ready to capture their first major together in 2022?

If McCoco keeps playing together consistently, they are well on their way to becoming the new face of doubles in a post-Bryan Brothers era.

LOCO for McCoco 🙌🏻

Packed house for No. 3 seeds @CocoGauff and @CatyMcNally against fellow Americans Christina McHale/Lauren Davis.

Full stands for women’s dubs + @BlairHenley on the 🎙 = winning 👊🏻#WatchMoreDoubles pic.twitter.com/3DxHQXYEsC

— The Tennis Tribe (@the_tennistribe) March 11, 2022

5. Trending and Slumping Teams

Neal Skupski and Wesley Koolhoff at 2021 Indian Wells

There’s no question the hottest ATP doubles team of the year thus far is the new partnership of Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski. With three titles, a runner-up finish in Miami, and a 23-6 record on the year, they have quickly established themselves as the team to beat right now.

Can they build on the momentum and capture their first major title together? If nothing else, their matching pink shorts have caught the eyes of the crowd and generated conversations on social media.

“They enjoyed the pink shorts…and they enjoyed the tennis.” – @BlairHenley

Pink is IN on Stadium 3 as No. 7 @nealskupski and @wesleykoolhof defeat Fognini/Bolelli 6-4, 6-4 in convincing fashion 😉

Skupski/Koolhof are 17-3 in 2022 with 3 titles already 🔥#WatchMoreDOUBLES pic.twitter.com/BxacJo1Qsy

— The Tennis Tribe (@the_tennistribe) March 12, 2022

On the flip side, the Croatian duo of Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic have not gotten off to a winning start in 2022 with a 6-6 record and zero titles on the year. In 2021, they were the most dominant team on tour finishing with a 65-14 record, nine titles (including Wimbledon), and an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo.

With a massive amount of points to defend during the clay and grass court swing, let’s hope they find their 2021 mojo and remain at the top of the doubles game. Or else, could we see a potential partnership split? Some doubles experts like Van Sias wouldn’t be surprised.

#Tennis/#doubles hot take: It’s time for the no. 1 men’s team, #Mektic and #Pavic, to call it—or at least take a break. And I think they should pull a switch with #JamieMurray and #Soares, respectively. Thoughts, @WillBoucek, @HanlonWalsh?

— Van Sias (@Van_Sias) February 8, 2022

#WatchMoreDOUBLES

WTA players and The Tennis Tribe team launch #WatchMoreDOUBLES campaign
Special thanks to WTA top doubles players for helping us launch the #WatchMoreDOUBLES campaign at Indian Wells. Help us spread the word and get your shirt below.

We want YOU to help us bring doubles to the spotlight!

Our “Watch More Doubles” shirts below were created in partnership with top 10 WTA Doubles player, Gaby Dabrowski, to help support pro doubles. Use coupon code “TRIBE” and purchase your shirt below.

Get Your Watch More Doubles Shirt

100% of these profits go towards supporting and growing pro doubles! #WatchMoreDoubles

WATCH.
MORE.
DOUBLES.

14 @WTA doubles players are helping us make DOUBLES more popular…@TennisChannel more air time for doubles pls 📺🙏 #WatchMoreDOUBLES pic.twitter.com/npwOaxb7bd

— Will Boucek (@WillBoucek) March 10, 2022

About Hanlon Walsh

Hanlon Walsh is a content writer and social media manager for Tennis Tribe. Hanlon has played tennis for over 20 years and is a former Division III standout at Birmingham-Southern College.

Hanlon currently lives in Birmingham, Alabama, where he works full-time as director of strategy for Peritus PR, a local communications firm. Hanlon writes long-form content, ranging from ATP & WTA doubles features to interviews with tennis industry professionals.

Hanlon has now attended 3 of the 4 majors and has his eyes set on Roland Garros soon to claim his last bucket list slam. In his free time, he’s typically either scanning Tennis Twitter, listening to tennis podcasts, traveling, or enjoying the outdoors.

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