Salisbury and Skupski grind out Turin opener

Under Turin's indoor lights, Joe Salisbury prolonged his mastery at the Nitto ATP Finals, joining Neal Skupski for a 6-3, 7-5 win over Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic in the John McEnroe group. The British pair, seeded fifth after a year of chasing silverware, turned the quick hardcourts into their ally, blending deep returns with net rushes to disrupt the opponents' rhythm. Salisbury, a two-time champion here with Rajeev Ram in 2022 and 2023, extended his streak to 11 straight victories, a run halted only by last year's qualification miss.

Season's edge sharpens their resolve

This marked the duo's first outing together in Turin, where they saved all seven break points faced, their composure forged in a 43-21 campaign that included finals at Roland Garros and the US Open. Skupski, whose best prior result here was a 2022 semifinal alongside Wesley Koolhof, drew on that experience to match Salisbury's poise, their full-time partnership since January yielding title matches in Toronto, Barcelona, and Doha. The crowd's rising hum amplified the tension as they neutralized Arevalo and Pavic's potent serves, using crosscourt lobs to pull the Salvadoran-Croatian tandem wide and force hurried approaches.

Their defensive tenacity contrasted with the rivals' earlier dominance on clay, where Arevalo and Pavic claimed Masters 1000 titles in Indian Wells, Miami, and Rome this year. Last season, that pair reached Turin's final, only to fall to Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz, a near-miss that lingered in the air as Salisbury and Skupski built leads through steady one–two patterns. This mental fortitude, honed across varied surfaces, turned potential pressure into propulsion, setting the tone for the indoor tempo.

Foot fault sparks the turning point

The match hinged in the second set at 5-5, 40/40 on the British serve, when an umpire's foot fault call on Pavic led to a double fault, gifting the break. That slip, amid the Pala Alpitour's echoing intensity, unraveled the server's focus, allowing Salisbury and Skupski to close on their next service game with precise volleys and inside-out returns. The moment flipped the psychological momentum, exposing cracks in the opponents' game under the Finals' glare.

With this victory, the winners now hold a 3-1 ATP Head2Head edge over Arevalo and Pavic, including triumphs in Toronto and Cincinnati earlier in 2025. The hardcourts' low bounce favored their underspin slices, keeping rallies short and exploiting second-serve vulnerabilities that had plagued the beaten duo indoors before. Salisbury's anticipation at net complemented Skupski's baseline probing, creating openings that echoed their season's relentless pursuit.

Group challenges test their momentum

Now 1-0 in the John McEnroe group, Salisbury and Skupski prepare for Harri Heliovaara and Henry Patten, followed by Christian Harrison and Evan King, each clash demanding fresh adjustments to diverse styles. The psychological lift from this opener, where every defended break point built quiet confidence, positions them to navigate the round-robin's demands. As Turin's atmosphere pulses with rivalry, their blend of experience and grit promises to sustain the streak, eyeing another deep run in the event's unforgiving format.