Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia and Lyudmyla Kichenok of Ukraine etched their names in US Open history by capturing the women’s doubles crown on Friday. The dynamic duo overcame a strong challenge from the Chinese-French pairing of Zhang Shaui and Kristina Mladenovic, emerging victorious with a convincing 6-4, 6-3 scoreline. This victory marked a significant milestone for both players. For Ostapenko, a former French Open singles champion, it was her maiden Grand Slam doubles title. Kichenok, who already holds a Wimbledon mixed doubles title from 2023, now boasts two Grand Slam trophies.
The duo’s path to victory was marked by consistent excellence. They showcased remarkable teamwork and a relentless determination, highlighted by their impressive run without dropping a single set throughout the tournament. The final match was a captivating display of skill and strategy. Ostapenko and Kichenok established an early lead by breaking serve in the second game. Though their opponents briefly regained control, the Latvian-Ukrainian pair responded with a crucial eight-deuce game, fending off five break points to take a commanding 5-4 advantage.
The pressure ultimately mounted on Zhang, who committed a double-fault on the second set point, gifting the first set to Ostapenko and Kichenok.
The second set followed a similar narrative. Zhang and Mladenovic managed an early break to lead 2-0, but Ostapenko and Kichenok fought back, breaking their opponents for a third time to level the score at 3-3. They then capitalized on a crucial break of Mladenovic to secure a 5-3 lead and ultimately clinched the title with Ostapenko serving out the match.
“We are a really great team and I think it was just an amazing two weeks,” Ostapenko shared during the on-court trophy presentation. “We didn’t expect anything, we were just playing better and better every match, we didn’t lose one set, so it was a really good tournament,” she added.
Kichenok’s joy was evident as she expressed, “I still have goosebumps after match point. It feels amazing. I’m blessed to have such partner by my side on the court. Thanks for carrying me these two weeks.” The victory serves as a testament to the remarkable talent and unwavering spirit of Ostapenko and Kichenok, confirming their status as a formidable force in women’s doubles tennis.
