Cash and Glasspool survive Turin elimination scare
In a must-win clash under the PalaAlpitour lights, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool outlasted a formidable duo to advance, setting up a semifinal steeped in British rivalry and seasonal promise.
In the charged evening session at the Nitto ATP Finals on November 13, 2025, Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool stared down elimination against Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos. The British pair, riding a season of breakthroughs, leaned into their aggressive returns to secure a 6-3, 7-5 victory that locked in second place in the Peter Fleming group. This result not only extended their stay in Turin but forged an all-British semifinal path against Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski, where national lines blur into intense competition.
Relentless pressure turns the tide
From the baseline, Cash and Glasspool disrupted the Spaniards' rhythm with deep, angled returns that exploited the indoor hardcourt's pace. Granollers and Zeballos, who had claimed Roland Garros and the US Open earlier in the year, found their net approaches neutralized by crosscourt replies that forced hurried volleys. The first set broke open early when a sharp inside-out forehand from Glasspool pinned Zeballos, allowing the Brits to consolidate and build a lead without overextending their serves.
The second set tightened as the opponents leveled at 5-5, testing the top seeds' resolve amid the crowd's rising murmurs. Cash's flat down-the-line groundstrokes pierced defenses, while Glasspool mixed in underspin to vary the tempo and draw errors on the quicker surface. At the crucial juncture, they snatched the break with a lob that caught Zeballos off guard, then served out the match steadily, the PalaAlpitour's echoes amplifying their relief.
“We knew it was going to be a very tough match,” Cash said. “They’re definitely one of the most in-form teams. They haven’t played a lot of tennis, but when they’ve been on the court, they’ve won pretty much everything. We expected them to play as well as they did and we fought very deep in the big moments and managed to come out on top.”
“Massive confidence [boost]. I didn’t like the way I played in the first round. The second round was a little better and third, even better, so it’s going in the right direction,” Glasspool added.
Qualification secured
Top seeds @cash_julian and Lloyd Glasspool head on through as runners-up in the Peter Fleming Group, by getting past Granollers/Zeballos 6-3 7-5!#NittoATPFinals pic.twitter.com/SXXeWaKHdt— ATP Tour (@atptour) November 13, 2025
Momentum builds from early setbacks
The duo's Turin journey had started unevenly with a loss to home favorites Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori, where the Italian crowd's fervor amplified every missed opportunity. They rebounded against defending champions Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, using one–two combinations to control points and regain footing on the indoor hard. This 2-1 group finish highlighted their adaptability, turning initial doubt into a sharpening edge that carried into the decider against Granollers and Zeballos.
Earlier triumphs fueled this resilience; at Wimbledon, they captured their first major title as the initial all-British men's doubles winners since 1936, including a semifinal defeat of the same Spanish-Argentine pair. That grass-court success translated here through persistent return aggression, now 2-0 in their ATP Head2Head series. Their season's seven tour-level titles, capped by Year-End ATP Doubles No. 1 honors as the first all-British team to claim it, underscored a partnership forged in pressure.
All-British semifinal promises fireworks
Facing Salisbury and Skupski shifts the dynamic to familiar ground, where serving prowess meets return depth in a battle laced with camaraderie. The top seeds' ability to break at key moments, as shown in Turin's tense second set, could exploit any openings on the indoor hard. With the PalaAlpitour's atmosphere electric for this national clash, Cash and Glasspool's upward trajectory positions them to chase an eighth title, extending a historic year into the finals' decisive stages.
The psychological lift from this survival act lingers, blending tactical precision with emotional fortitude. As they prepare, expect inside-in forehands and deep returns to define rallies, the court's tempo quickening under shared heritage's weight. This semifinal looms not just as a test but a chance to elevate Britain's doubles legacy further.
