Author: Barkha Roy
Lyudmyla Kichenok and Mate Pavic, the seventh-ranked pair, emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter, beating Joran Vliegen and Xu Yifan 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-3 to win the mixed doubles championship at the prestigious grass tournament.
Kichenok, a prominent figure on the WTA, and Pavic, an experienced player with an impressive record of 35 tour-level titles, had a moment of disappointment when they lost a championship point during the tie-break in the second set. However, Vliegen and Xu reacted, forcing a decisive third set on centre court. Undeterred by the setback, the seventh seeds recovered quickly and secured a crucial break in the eighth game of the last set, clinching victory in a thrilling match that lasted two hours and seven minutes.
Glory at SW19 🏆
Mate Pavic and Lyudmyla Kichenok are 2023 mixed doubles champions after defeating Xu/Vliegen, 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-3 👏#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/5c1BoZjF4Y
– Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2023
Throughout the match, Pavic, who is currently ranked 17th in the Pepperstone ATP Doubles Rankings, and Kichenok, who is ranked 15th in the WTA Doubles Rankings, showed their skills by hitting 20 winners against 14 from their opponents. This hard-fought three-set victory marked his third win in five matches at SW19 this year. The win had significant emotional value for the 30-year-old Kichenok, as she became the first Ukrainian player in Wimbledon history to win a title of any kind.
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Neal Skupski’s brother and coach Ken was supposed to be leaving for Ibiza on holiday today.
One problem… Neal and doubles partner Wesley Koolhof have made the final! 😂#Wimbledon pic.twitter.com/AhONnkZVDN
– Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 13, 2023
Meanwhile, in the men’s doubles, Wesley Koolhof and Neal Skupski secured their place in the championship match at Wimbledon after a tense semi-final clash against Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden. Koolhof and Skupski, the number one seeded pair, emerged victorious with a 7-5, 6-4 win on court one, relying on crucial breaks at the end of each set to overcome their sixth-ranked opponents. They took both break point opportunities, enjoying the crucial moments in the 11th game of the first set and the ninth game of the second set. This hard-fought victory takes them to their second major final as a team.
In another impressive performance in the men’s doubles semi-final, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos demonstrated their prowess and booked their place in the final. The 15th seed displayed clinical precision in converting all three of his break points, resulting in a convincing 6-4, 6-3 win over Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz. This Spanish-Argentinian duo have shown exceptional form at Grand Slam tournaments, with their current run to the final in south-west London adding to their previous achievements of reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open and Roland Garros earlier this year.