Joe Salisbury new world doubles No 1 after reaching Miami quarter-finals

Salisbury is guaranteed to overtake Croatia’s Mate Pavic at the top of the standings next week

Joe Salisbury will become world number one next week (PA Archive)

Joe Salisbury will become only the third British tennis player to be ranked world number one.

The 29-year-old Londoner is guaranteed to ascend to the top of the rankings next week, following in the footsteps of Andy and Jamie Murray.

Jamie became the first British player to become number one since the rankings were launched in the 1970s when he climbed to the top of the doubles standings in 2016, with Andy emulating his brother in singles later the same year.

After reaching the quarter-finals of the Miami Open with American partner Rajeev Ram, Salisbury said on atptour.com: “It seems a bit crazy, to be honest. But yeah, so happy. This week, we’re focusing on doing as well as we can, trying to win this tournament in Miami.

“But obviously very satisfied. What we’ve done as a team, with Rajeev, to be number one in the team rankings as well now, it’s pretty special.”

Confirmation of Salisbury’s new status came after he and Ram defeated Feliciano Lopez and Stefanos Tsitsipas, while current incumbent Mate Pavic was beaten with his partner Nikola Mektic.

Salisbury and Ram have established themselves as one of the best doubles pairings over the past three seasons, winning six titles, including the 2020 Australian Open and the US Open last summer.

Last season was their most successful yet, with runner-up finishes at the Australian Open and the ATP Finals as well as a first Masters title in Canada, while Salisbury also won mixed doubles titles at the French Open and US Open.

Meanwhile, the positive signs in British tennis continued with a first title on the second-tier Challenger tour for 22-year-old Paul Jubb from Hull, who triumphed on clay in Bolivia.