Czech duo Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik defeated Belinda Bencic and Flavio Cobolli 6-3 1-6 [10-6] to win the US Open mixed doubles championship and scoop the $1 million grand prize on Wednesday night.
Muchova and Mensik rallied from 3-0 and 8-5 down and then saved two match points to defeat Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev in a thrilling contest 5-4 (8-6) 3-5 [11-9] to reach the final.
The all-Czech team, sported matching pink-top, maroon-bottom outfits, then delivered in the second match tie-break against Indian Wells champions Bencic and Cobolli to win the title.
“The matching outfit made the difference for us,” joked Muchova, who suffered a heart-breaking three-set defeat to Linda Noskova in the Wimbledon final last month. “No really, I wasn’t expecting to be standing here. Thanks Jakub for carrying me through this event.
“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.
Muchova and Mensik got off to a fast start on Arthur Ashe Stadium, with the hard-serving Mensik hammering an ace past Bencic on set point to claim the opener in less than 30 minutes.
Bencic drilled a return winner to break serve for a 3-1 lead in the second, and the Swiss star later levelled the match when her forehand clipped the net cord and skipped beyond Muchova.
In the deciding 10-point match tie-break, 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.
Bencic and Cobolli commiserate Elina Svitolina and Gael Monfils
Bencic and Cobolli battled back to end the run of husband and wife duo Gael Monfils and Elina Svitolina 4-5 (7-9) 4-1 [10-5] and make the final.
Swiss star Bencic and Italian Cobolli continued their superb form having knocked Serena Williams and Carlos Alcaraz out of the tournament in the quarter-finals.
They dropped a set for the first time in the tournament, but began to dominate midway through the second set, winning the final 11 points to force a match tie-breaker which they romped away with.
For former Olympic champion Bencic it was a maiden Grand Slam final at senior level.
“I think we just tried to play more brave,” Bencic said. “We just really tried to enjoy and believe.”
The US Open is live on Sky Sports from August 30. Stream tennis with no contract on NOW and the Sky Sports App. You can also watch the Laver Cup at The O2 in London from 25-27 September live on Sky Sports.