Gadecki and Peers triumph in all-Aussie mixed doubles final

MELBOURNE: Australians Olivia Gadecki and John Peers staged a remarkable comeback to defeat compatriots Kimberly Birrell and John-Patrick Smith 3-6, 6-4, 10-6 in the mixed doubles final at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

Birrell and Smith got off to a flying start on Rod Laver Arena, racing to a 3-0 lead and eventually sealing the opening set in 34 minutes. However, Gadecki and Peers fought back, raising their game in a tight second set to level the contest. The pair maintained their momentum in the 10-point tiebreaker to secure victory and become the fourth Australian duo in the Open era to claim the mixed doubles title at the Australian Open.

For Gadecki, the triumph marked her first Grand Slam mixed doubles title, while Peers added a second to his collection, having won the 2022 U.S. Open in the same category. The 36-year-old also boasts an impressive résumé, including men’s doubles gold at the Paris Olympics and the 2017 Australian Open title with Henri Kontinen.

Reflecting on the achievement, Gadecki expressed her gratitude during the trophy presentation: “I would like to say fantastic job to Kim and JP for a great week; it is so nice to play in an all-Aussie final. Thanks so much for playing with me, Peersy, and letting me ride the wave.”(Reuters)