Cash and Glasspool Earn Fourth-Straight Tour Title at National Bank Open in Toronto

Cash and Glasspool, the second seeds in the NBO doubles draw, were previously 0-2 in Masters 1000 finals heading into Thursday’s final at Sobeys Stadium but saved three championship points to hoist the trophy, earning their third-straight win against Skupski and Salisbury this year.

"19 matches [won] in a row is incredible," Glasspool said. "Now, it's about keeping the body and the mind as fresh as we can. This is obviously an amazing problem to have."

The Wimbledon champions served well, winning 80 per cent of their first-serve points and firing 15 aces while only facing a single break point. Cash and Glasspool also held seven break points and broke twice.

Both sides began the final under little pressure on serve, not facing a break point until the eighth game. At 3-4, 30-40, the No. 6 seeds were broken, allowing Glasspool and Cash to serve out the set.

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The No. 2 seeds held double set point in the ensuing game and capitalized on the first as Cash put away a volley to seal the opener 6-3.

On Skupski’s serve at 1-1in the second, the Roland-Garros finalists faced yet another break point but saved it to force a sudden-death deuce. The world No. 16 then fired one of his team’s five aces of the evening to hold.

That was the only bit of pressure either side faced on serve through the first eight games. Both teams won 88 per cent of their first-serve points over that span as the set was level at 4-4. 

In the ninth game at deuce, Cash painted the line with a crosscourt return winner, setting up the No. 2 seeds to serve for the championship. However, Salisbury and Skupski broke back in a crucial spot to extend the match.

At 5-6, 30-15, two-straight aces from Cash sent the set to a tiebreaker. The Wimbledon champions ended up on the wrong end of two mini-breaks as the final headed to a decisive super tiebreak.

The teams traded minibreaks on two occasions in the third as neither side was able to mount a lead of more than one point until Salisbury and Skupski led 6-4.

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The No. 6 seeds later took an 8-4 lead, needing just two points on serve to secure the title. However, the duo only managed a single point but still held triple championship point at 9-6.

A resilient Cash and Glasspool rallied to level the match at 9-all, forcing Salisbury and Skupski to save championship point at 10-11.

At 11-all, a Skupski double fault handed the No. 2 seeds a second opportunity to get their hands on the trophy and Cash and Glasspool completed the comeback.

"We've been in a lot worse positions than this and come out of the right end," Cash said. "That's where the hard work pays off, it's where the confidence comes in. We are still able to swing free and play loose, which is really important."

The duo’s National Bank Open win was their fourth-straight tour title after triumphs at Queen’s Club, Eastbourne, and Wimbledon.

Feature Photo: Geoff Robins