Source: Tennis Australia.
Storm Sanders and John Peers have become the first Australians in 21 years to win the mixed doubles title at the US Open.
The Aussies were up against Belgian Kirsten Flipkens and Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin in the final match of mixed doubles at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Flushing New York.
Flipkens and Roger-Vasselin took the first set 6-4, with the Australians going on to claim the second set also 6-4 and eventually the third set 10-7 in the match tiebreak.
It’s the first tournament Sanders and Peers have played together and the first Grand Slam mixed doubles win for Peers and the first Grand Slam win of any kind for Sanders who was elated with the result.
“I can’t believe we’re Grand Slam champions, that’s crazy!” she said.
“To be honest, I still don’t think it’s really sunk in.
“Even before the match, I was just thinking it’s another match, doesn’t matter. Amazing opportunity and a great challenge to be playing on the biggest court in the world in a Grand Slam final.
“Obviously I lost my doubles semi-final yesterday in a close one. I had to kind of let that go and just really focus on today.”
“Thank you Sam Stosur” ? pic.twitter.com/nAWGwqKsDm
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Peers detailed that it had taken quite a long time to be partnered with Sanders, but that after their victory they will team up again in the mixed doubles for the Australian Open in 2023.
“Storm and I have been set with other partners when either one of us have tried to play with the other one. We sort of said a few months back, Look, if we don’t do really well with a different partner, let’s try to do the US.
“We were able to string it together here, which is great. Just timing worked out nicely. It was a lot of fun.”
Former US Open champion Sam Stosur was in the crowd to cheer the pair on, which Sanders said was a relief.
“Having Sam there as well watching on, it was just super amazing. Kind of gave me a little bit of calmness knowing that she was there. I think she yelled out ‘Believe in yourself’ to me once, and that definitely helped.”
