Un-named Aussies shock world No.1 doubles pair

By Ben Glover and Emily Patterson

Awarded a wildcard for the men's doubles contention astatine this year's Australian Open, locals Jason Kubler and Rinky Hijikata inactive person expansive slam occurrence successful their sights.

While some Kubler and Hijikata had their singles campaigns ended prematurely, the brace person kept their dreams of an Open doubles rubric live aft disposing of the draw's apical seeds successful their quarter-final.

The Aussies won their lucifer 6-3, 6-1, implicit the forerunner pairing of Dutch subordinate Wesley Koolhof and British doubles specializer Neal Skupski.

LIVE UPDATES: Australian Open 2023 time 10 highlights

READ MORE: Stefanos Tsitsipas astir hits shot kid successful quarter-final win

READ MORE: Tsitsipas makes bold play for Margot Robbie

Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler of Australia with their trademark thorax bump. (Getty)

Their achievements echo past year's men's doubles championship, with unseeded Aussie pairing Nick Kyrgios and Thanasi Kokkinakis - affectionately dubbed the Special Ks - knocking retired the No.1 seeds connected their mode to their archetypal large title.

While Kubler and Hijikata are a more low-key beingness astatine their location expansive slam than the lively Special Ks, the concern embodies the aforesaid values of Aussie mateship and bully humour that marque these duo truthful popular.

Speaking post-match, Kubler called connected Australians to travel up with a colourful nickname for the latest doubles partnership.

Watch the Australian Open unrecorded and escaped connected the Nine Network: Channel 9, 9Gem and 9NOW.

"I don't cognize if it's our occupation to travel up with one, you know. I deliberation if we get 1 we'll tally with it, but we person nary idea, nary idea," helium said.

With the assemblage successful stitches, the remark followed immoderate heartfelt words of acknowledgment for the enactment fans had shown the duo done their quarter-final clash.

"First of each acknowledgment a batch everyone for coming retired today, it was bloody blistery today, truthful convey you, everyone, for coming. The vigor you guys brought was unbelievable and we truly thrive disconnected it, and that's wherefore we play specified large dubs, truthful convey you," Kubler said.

Aussies upset No.1 seeds

Hijikata added: "We started disconnected a small spot amended than our past 2 matches, truthful yeah, that was bully for america contiguous I accidental and yeah, Koobs brought it from the archetypal point. He played immoderate unbelievable balls today, but yeah, acknowledgment to everyone for coming out, you guys truly brought it too, it's truthful overmuch amusive to play here, truthful convey you."

On the backmost of a fourth-round quality astatine Wimbledon earlier past year, Kubler achieved his archetypal triumph astatine his location slam erstwhile helium defeated Sebastian Baez successful the first-round.

The 29-year-old achieved a career-high ATP singles ranking of satellite No.84 this period pursuing a drawstring of idiosyncratic wins astatine the United Cup.

Meanwhile, Hijikata besides recorded his archetypal triumph successful lone his 2nd expansive slam accidental erstwhile helium conquered Yannick Hanfmann.

Hijikata returns to the limelight of a large aft taking the opening acceptable disconnected Rafael Nadal during their first-round clash astatine the US Open.

Nadal yet triumphed successful 4 sets, but then-world No.164 Hijikata gave the expansive slam rubric record-holder a bully scare.

Kubler and Hijikata volition adjacent look eighth seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos for a spot successful Saturday's final.

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!

Australian Open 2023 successful pictures: Beaten Jelena Ostapenko roasted for 'classless' handshake