NewzKarolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik save two match points on their way to the US Open mixed doubles title and $1m in prize money. NEW YORK (AP) — Jakub Mensik texted Karolina Muchova on the eve of the U.S. Open mixed doubles tournament so they could coordinate their outfits.
Looking good on the court is important, he figured.Now they look like a million bucks.Muchova and Mensik won the title Wednesday night in their first time playing together, beating Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6 (10-6).The Czech duo, wearing the same pink tops and maroon bottoms they settled on Monday, pulled out match tiebreakers in both matches on the second night of the two-day event, fueled by Mensik's powerful serve combined with some good hands near the net. He put away the final with an ace to earn $1 million for him and Muchova to share.“I think at the end, really the matching outfit made the difference for us,” Muchova said.They were a point from losing in the semifinals, erasing two match points and running off the final four to edge Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev 5-4 (6), 3-5 (11-9).Quite a performance, considering Mensik said he had never played in a mixed doubles event.“My first mixed doubles, 100% win rate,” he said.Bencic and Cobolli rallied to end the run of spouses Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils in the first semifinal with a 4-5 (7), 4-1 (10-5) victory.They appeared headed toward a matchup with Andreeva and Rublev, who were smiling and pumping their fists after opening the lead in the match tiebreaker. Muchova flung her racket to the court in disgust after missing a volley that gave the Russians a 7-5 lead.But the Wimbledon women’s runner-up never lost belief, thanks in part to her hard-serving partner, who will turn 21 next week.When Mensik first asked Muchova to play, she told him to improve his ranking.
Open mixed doubles tournament was revamped last year, the ability to directly qualify was based on the combined singles rankings of the two players.Mensik then did his part by reaching the semifinals of the French Open.“I put a little pressure on him, but in a fun way. “I’m happy we managed and we got in, that we are here now.”The final was the only match of the tournament that resembled a regular match, with standard sets to six games and a tiebreaker at 6-all. Through the first three rounds, sets were to four games, with a tiebreaker at 4-all.Bencic and Cobolli knocked Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz out of the tournament Tuesday in th…
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