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

Duo secure first Grand Slam trophy as a team after defeating Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli of Italy.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.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Ex-Wimbledon champion Vondrousova appeals to CAS over four-year doping banlist 2 of 4Gauff, Fils win Cincinnati tennis titles in run-up to US Openlist 3 of 4Jannik Sinner to miss US Open tennis major due to knee injurylist 4 of 4Tennis star Kyrgios provisionally suspended after positive test for cocaineend of listBencic 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.“I wasn’t really expecting to be standing here tonight. We came out just to have fun and enjoy these mixed doubles and now we are standing here. So we did something right.“I think this is a really good start to the US Open for all of us,” she added after congratulating Bencic and Cobolli.