Czech pair Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik win US Open mixed doubles

Czech pair Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik beat Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic and Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-3, 1-6, 10-6 to win the US Open mixed doubles title, securing their first Grand Slam trophy as a team.

Muchova and Mensik got off to a fast start in Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday, with the hard-serving Mensik hammering an ace past Bencic on set point to claim the opener in less than 30 minutes.

Bencic drilled a return winner to break serve for a 3-1 lead in the second and the Swiss player later levelled the match when her forehand clipped the net cord and skipped beyond Muchova.

In the deciding 10-point match tiebreak, Mensik’s big serve and sharp work at the net helped the Czechs seize control.

The 20-year-old put away a firm volley to open an 8-4 lead before Muchova produced her best serve of the match to bring up championship points.

Mensik sealed the victory with another ace, leaping in celebration after clinching the first trophy of the season’s final Grand Slam.

Muchova and Mensik had earlier saved two match points against Russians Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev in their semifinal to book their place in the title match.

“I think in the end the matching outfits made the difference for us,” Muchova said during the trophy ceremony.