The Australian Open continues to deliver magic for home fans as wildcard pair Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans punched their ticket to the men’s doubles final. In a rollercoaster semifinal, they outlasted Britain’s Luke Johnson and Poland’s Jan Zielinski 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, keeping their dream run alive amid roaring support.
Despite Kubler’s knee – wrapped and battle-tested from past operations – the pair dominated early. A spectacular overhead smash broke serve first, followed by razor-sharp returns that built a commanding 5-1 edge. Polmans’ flawless hold closed the set in style.
Momentum swung in the second as first-serve woes plagued the Aussies (39% success rate), gifting the opposition a set. Undeterred, they regrouped in the third. Polmans held firm under pressure at 6-6 deuce in game seven, then the breakthrough came immediately after, breaking Johnson.
A final error from Zielinski sealed the win. Waiting in the final are seasoned pros Neal Skupski – once world No. 1 – and Christian Harrison, who cruised past Granollers and Zeballos earlier.
Kubler’s prior AO triumph in 2023 with Hijikata adds pedigree, while for Polmans, this is uncharted Grand Slam final territory since his 2017 semis. Can the locals lift the trophy on home soil? Expect fireworks.