Two-time Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray will be playing with new partner, countryman Neal Skupski, at Wimbledon for the first time this fortnight. But the pairing might play against someone more familiar to the left-handed Murray than anyone before the quarter-finals.
The Murray brothers – Jamie and Andy Murray – could face off in doubles in the third round at SW19. Murray/Skupski, the 10th seeds, meet Ivan Dodig/Filip Polasek in the opening round and then might face either Spaniards Pablo Andujar/Fernando Verdasco or Brits Evan Hoyt/Luke Johnson.
France’s Pierre-Hugues Herbert/Murray, partnering for the first time, meet Marius Copil/Ugo Humbert and then could face the winner of Ricardas Berankis/Marton Fucsovics and sixth seeds Nikola Mektic/Franko Skugor.
Herbert won the Wimbledon doubles title in 2016 (with Mahut). Murray’s only previous doubles result at Wimbledon came in his 2005 debut with David Sherwood, a first-round exit.
The Murray brothers have never played each other in a tour-level matchup. In January, there was talk of them playing together at the All England Club as Andy Murray planned to possibly retire at the season’s third Grand Slam because of lingering hip injuries.
Jamie’s younger brother, however, is now feeling pain-free, a possibility he couldn’t imagine five months ago, and he’s winning. Murray underwent a second right hip surgery in January, and with Feliciano Lopez, Andy Murray won the Fever-Tree Championships doubles title last week.
“I expected something in my hip, I expected it to be sore, but I literally, like, have nothing there,” Murray said after winning the ATP 500 doubles title. “For me, anyway, it had been probably five or six years, after matches I would get some pain and aching and throbbing and things like that that you would just anticipate and are waiting for that to happen. And it doesn’t anymore, and it’s brilliant.”
The 32-year-old Scot has won three tour-level doubles titles – two with brother Jamie in 2010, 2011 – and two Wimbledon singles titles (2013, 2016).
Aussie Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 singles champion, is also playing doubles, with countryman Jordan Thompson. Hewitt is 9-8 in doubles at Wimbledon and made his debut, with Roger Federer, in 1999, reaching the third round.
It’s the first time since 1992 that two former Wimbledon singles champions are in the doubles draw. John McEnroe, a three-time singles winner (1981, ‘83-84), teamed with 1991 champion Michael Stich to capture the ‘92 doubles crown.
The stalwart doubles champions, however, will also be gracing the grass in London. Three-time Wimbledon champions Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan are making their 20th appearance together.
Mike Bryan, with Jack Sock, won the title last year. Bryan/Bryan, the seventh seeds, could meet 11th seeds Nicolas Mahut/Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the third round.
Top seeds Marcelo Melo/Lukasz Kubot, the 2017 champions, open against Ben McLachlan/Jan-Lennard Struff, who have won two ATP Tour doubles titles together; and 2015 titlists Jean-Julien Rojer/Horia Tecau, the fifth seeds, could also have a tough third-round matchup in the form of Spaniards Pablo Carreno Busta/Feliciano Lopez.
