Muchova-Mensik survive two match points to reach US Open mixed doubles final
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik produced one of the most dramatic comebacks of the 2025 US Open, saving two match points and clawing back from 8-5 down in the match tiebreak to defeat Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev in the mixed doubles semifinals. The Czech pair sealed a 5-4 (6), 3-5, [11-9] victory to advance to the final at Flushing Meadows in New York on 27 August.
How the Match Unfolded
Muchova and Mensik started the match tiebreak trailing 3-0 before the deficit widened to 8-5, leaving them on the brink of elimination. The partnership's complementary styles — Muchova's deft touch and court craft alongside Mensik's raw power — had been a potent combination throughout the tournament, and it proved decisive once more under the most intense pressure.
Muchova had sealed a tight opening set with a volley winner, but the Czech duo surrendered their advantage in the second set, forcing a deciding match tiebreak. When a match point loomed against them, Mensik, just 20 years old, fired an ace to level at 9-9, then followed it with another unreturnable serve to flip the match point in their favour. The pair won the final four points to complete the escape.
Bencic and Cobolli Extend Unbeaten Run
Fourth seeds Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli also had to dig deep in their semifinal, defeating Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils by 4-5 (7), 4-1, [10-5]. After dropping the opening set and facing three break points while trailing 1-0 in the second, Bencic and Cobolli saved all three and reeled off the final four games of the set to force a match tiebreak.
Sharp net play proved the difference in the tiebreak as the fourth seeds pulled away comfortably. The victory improved their combined record as a partnership to an unblemished 7-0, having already claimed the Indian Wells mixed doubles title together.
What Is at Stake in the Final
The final at Flushing Meadows will be contested with traditional sets to six games — replacing the four-game sets used in the earlier rounds of the event — with a 10-point match tiebreak to decide the contest if the score reaches one set apiece. The champions will also share the USD 1 million grand prize.
For Bencic and Cobolli, victory would mean two titles from two tournaments played together. For Muchova and Mensik, it would cap a remarkable run that required surviving the most hostile of match situations. Notably, this final pits two Czech players — Muchova and Mensik — against a Swiss-Italian pairing, making it one of the more intriguing mixed doubles finals in recent US Open memory.
What Happens Next
The mixed doubles final is scheduled to be played at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Both pairs head into the decider having demonstrated the ability to recover from adversity, which sets up what promises to be a closely contested championship match.