Mektić and Krajicek stopped in the Queen's Club round of 16: Harrison and Skupski better in two sets
Nikola Mektić and Austin Krajicek ended their run in the doubles competition at the ATP 500 HSBC Championships tournament at London's Queen's Club after a defeat in the round of 16, that is, the first round of the draw with 16 pairs. Better than them were Christian Harrison and Neal Skupski, who, according to Tennis Explorer data, won 7:5, 6:3 in a match played on 17 June 2026 on the grass of Queen's Club. The result shows a match in which details decided, especially in the closing stages of the first set, while in the second set the American-British combination took control of the score earlier and did not allow their opponents to come back.
For Mektić and Krajicek, the defeat meant the end of the London tournament already at the first hurdle, although they entered the match as a pair with great experience, significant titles and a reputation as players who handle formats with narrow margins well. However, in men's doubles on grass, such an advantage is often not enough if rare return opportunities are not used and if several key points in a row are lost in the closing stages of sets. According to the available result and statistical summary, that very part of the match most determined the direction of the encounter.
Harrison and Skupski made better use of the turning points
The first set was the most important part of the match because it ended with a tight 7:5 for Harrison and Skupski. In such a scoreline, the decisive factor was the winning pair's ability to maintain a higher level of concentration in the final games, while Mektić and Krajicek failed to stop the pressure at the moment when the set was entering its decisive phase. In doubles, this often means very little room for correction: one weaker service game, one missed first volley or one weaker second serve can change the entire course of the match.
After losing the first set, Mektić and Krajicek had to look for a quick reaction in the second, but Harrison and Skupski, according to the final score of 6:3, further strengthened their control over the match. This is not a result that points to complete dominance from the first to the last point, but rather to a match in which the winning pair knew how to distribute pressure better and turn it into a scoring advantage in time. In such circumstances, Mektić's pair did not find a sufficiently stable response, so the defeat developed without the need for a decisive tie-break or a third set.
The statistical data published by SportyTrader further explain the difference between the pairs. Harrison and Skupski won a total of 61 points, while Krajicek and Mektić remained on 52, which is a large enough difference to confirm that the victory was not merely the consequence of a single game. The winners had four aces compared with three by their opponents, made one fewer double fault and won more points on their own serve. Such a statistical picture fits well with the impression of a match in which better execution at key moments was more important than major tactical shifts.
A defeat with weight for Mektić and Krajicek
Mektić and Krajicek came to London as a pair with a serious doubles résumé. Both players have already been at the top of the ATP doubles rankings, and ATP data for the 2026 season show that they won the title together in Delray Beach. Such a pair profile usually brings high expectations, especially at ATP 500 category tournaments, where the draw is smaller but the quality of opponents in every round is exceptionally high.
For Mektić, the London appearance also had additional importance in the rankings. According to the ATP points breakdown, the Croatian tennis player had 300 points to defend at Queen's Club from the 2025 final, and the early defeat means that this segment of the season will have a direct effect on his points balance. In doubles, where differences between players are often measured by a small number of points, such results can affect ranking position, seeded status and an easier or harder route through future tournament draws.
Krajicek and Mektić did not lose to an unproven pair, but to opponents whose shared results capital in 2026 is already very convincing. Harrison and Skupski won the Australian Open in Melbourne, and the ATP reported at the time that they defeated Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans 7:6(4), 6:4 in the final. Such a title gives clearer context to the London result: the American-British pair at Queen's Club did not simply take advantage of their opponents' bad day, but confirmed the continuity that keeps them among the most dangerous combinations of the season.
Queen's Club as an important grass-court test
The HSBC Championships at Queen's Club is one of the best-known grass-court tournaments in men's tennis. In its tournament preview, the ATP stated that the 2026 edition is played from 15 to 21 June in London, that it is an ATP 500 event and that the tournament is held on grass at The Queen's Club. Such a position in the calendar gives the competition a special role because it comes immediately before Wimbledon, during a period when players are trying to adapt to a faster surface, lower bounce and shorter rallies.
The organizers and the ATP emphasize the tournament's long tradition in official materials. ATP media notes for 2026 state that it is the 55th edition of the tournament in the Open Era, while the list of previous winners includes numerous great names. For doubles, the tournament is especially demanding because grass rewards the first serve, a good first volley and timely coverage of the net. When both pairs are made up of experienced specialists, the decisive factor often becomes the rhythm in just a few points, not long baseline exchanges.
That is precisely why Mektić and Krajicek's defeat in two sets should not be viewed only through the final 7:5, 6:3. Queen's Club is a tournament where sets can turn in a very short period, and pressure builds as soon as one pair fails to use even half a chance on return. Harrison and Skupski accepted such a rhythm better, while Mektić and Krajicek were left without an answer in the closing stages that should have given them a way into the match.
Experience was not enough against the winners' current rhythm
Mektić has been among the most recognizable doubles specialists for years. His career includes the top of the ATP doubles rankings, major titles and a long-standing presence in the final stages of the strongest tournaments. Krajicek is also a former world No. 1 in doubles, which, according to ATP data, confirms his stable role at the top of the discipline. A combination of such experience is usually especially valuable on grass, where communication, reaction and court coverage often decide more than the power of baseline shots.
But Harrison and Skupski are currently a pair with very strong results-based arguments. Skupski is at the very top of the current doubles rankings, while Harrison, according to Tennis Explorer data for this match, entered the encounter with a high ranking in the specialist competition. Their partnership has already been confirmed at Grand Slam level, and the victory in London further shows that their success is not reduced to one isolated tournament. Against such a pair, maintaining a solid level is not enough; it is necessary to win the key points before the opponent takes the initiative.
Mektić and Krajicek did not manage to impose that pattern in this match. According to the statistical summary, the difference in the total number of points was not huge, but it was clear enough to show that Harrison and Skupski more often emerged as winners from points that directly affected the score. In doubles, that is often more decisive than the overall impression of play because a set can be lost even without a long period of weakness.
What the defeat means for the rest of the season
The early exit at Queen's Club for Mektić and Krajicek comes in a sensitive part of the season. The grass-court portion of the calendar is short and does not leave much room for gradually raising form. After London, attention quickly moves to the next grass-court tournaments and Wimbledon, where pairs must be ready from the first round. In such a schedule, one defeat does not have to indicate a deeper problem, but it can affect confidence and ranking position.
For Mektić, it is important to remain in the rhythm of competition, especially because in doubles form often changes abruptly and partnerships are judged through runs of results. Krajicek and Mektić have already shown in 2026 that they can play at a high level, but the London defeat warns that on grass they must react more quickly in games in which they are under pressure. If they want to return to the final stages of bigger tournaments, they will have to close out their own service games more effectively and use return chances as soon as they appear.
On the other hand, Harrison and Skupski confirmed with this result the status of a pair that can be very awkward on grass. A 7:5, 6:3 victory against the experienced Krajicek/Mektić combination sends a clear message to the rest of the draw: the American-British pair does not rely only on individual quality, but also on a shared mechanism that works steadily in the closing stages of sets. After advancing to the Queen's Club quarterfinals, their London performance remains one of the indicators of the broader picture in the doubles season, in which the balance among the leading combinations changes from week to week.
Sources:
- Tennis Explorer – data on the Harrison/Skupski - Krajicek/Mektić match, date, round, surface and result (link)
- SportyTrader – statistical summary of the match, including total points, aces, double faults and final score (link)
- ATP Tour – preview and basic information on the HSBC Championships 2026, dates, ATP 500 category, surface and tournament location (link)
- ATP Tour Media Notes – official media notes for the HSBC Championships 2026 with data on the tournament edition and historical context (link)
- ATP Tour – report on Harrison and Skupski's Australian Open 2026 title (link)
- ATP Tour – Nikola Mektić's doubles points breakdown, including Queen's Club 2025 and Delray Beach 2026 (link)
- ATP Tour – Austin Krajicek's doubles points breakdown, including the result in Delray Beach 2026 (link)