Palmerston Tennis Club name cocktail after Wimbledon doubles champion Neal Skupski

Video report by ITV Granada Reports journalist Andrew Fletcher.


Tennis champion Neal Skupski's triumphant Wimbledon win is being celebrated with a cocktail named in his honour at his local club in Liverpool - and it's as strong as his serve.

The 33-year-old won the Gentlemen's Doubles Final on Centre Court, alongside his partner Wesley Koolhof, adding to the two mixed doubles trophies he has already won.

The victory makes him the first British man to win both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles in their career at Wimbledon since the 1920s.

Skupski was cheered on at Palmerston Tennis Club, where he first held a racquet as a young boy, with members sipping on a new drink named after the sportsman.

The aptly named 'Skupski slammer' is a concoction of Lamb's Dark Rum, Pimms, Tia Maria, lemonade and lime cordial.

Pimms is the staple ingredient on a Skupski Slammer. Credit: ITV News

Not only is he inspiring the creation of new cocktails, the Liverpudlian's success is now inspiring a new generation of players, including Jess and Alex who train at Palmerston.

They are already Lancashire under-18 champions in mixed doubles and are hoping to follow their mentor onto the courts of Wimbledon.   

"He comes down and watches all of our matches," Jess explains. "That's just brilliant having him here.

"Even seeing him training on the courts some days, you can't help but stop and watch him the whole time."

Neal Skupski (right) and Wesley Koolhoif celebrate with their trophies following their victory. Credit: PA Images

Alex describes Skupski as "so down to earth" and said: "When my mates are at the club, he'll just watch us play.

"For the league matches, he comes down and watches us when he gets the chance. He is such a friendly guy and his dad strings my racket, they're all really friendly."

Men's Captain at Palmerston Tennis Club Dan Swain recalls watching footage of Skupski as a child swinging a tennis racket that "was as big as him" at the time.

Dan said: "It wasn't long before he started to become such a player. It's a bit surreal to be honest with you because we've grown up with Neal for so many years.

"We always believed that one day he would win a Grand Slam, but to see him win three in as many years is just unbelievable, really."

After winning the mixed doubles with Desirae Krawczyk for the past two years, Neal said the men’s doubles title would be the “pinnacle”, and it is his first grand slam triumph in the men’s event, having lost in the US Open final last year.

He is also the first British man to win a hat-trick of titles since the great Fred Perry in the late 1930s.

“I’m speechless really,” Neal said after the win. “It’s something I never thought would ever happen. Obviously I won the mixed doubles a couple times with Desirae Krawczyk.

“It’s just an amazing feeling right now. It’s an amazing achievement."


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