WomensDoubles Archives

Kichenok and Ostapenko Postpone Wedding for US Open Doubles Triumph

By Nilay September 7, 2024 0

Lyudmyla Kichenok and Jelena Ostapenko’s plans for a wedding this week were put on hold as they triumphed in the US Open women’s doubles championship. The duo defeated Kristina Mladenovic and Zhang Shuai 6-4, 6-3, claiming their first Grand Slam title together.

Kichenok and Ostapenko, seeded seventh, had an impressive run at Flushing Meadows, not dropping a single set throughout the tournament. Their victory earned them a prize of $750,000.

Ostapenko, a Latvian who won the 2017 French Open in singles, expressed her joy during the trophy ceremony, saying, “I think it’s a good excuse to postpone it a bit.”

Kichenok, who hails from Ukraine, dedicated the victory to her home country, which is currently engaged in a conflict. “They are fighting really hard for our freedom right now and I just hope I can give them some encouragement,” she said.

The match began with Kichenok and Ostapenko taking an early lead of 4-1. Mladenovic and Zhang fought back to tie it at 4-all, but Ostapenko and Kichenok regained the lead and won the first set when Zhang double-faulted.

In the second set, Kichenok and Ostapenko fell behind 2-0 but surged back as Arthur Ashe Stadium filled up with fans anticipating the men’s semifinal between Jannik Sinner and Jack Draper.

Mladenovic and Zhang fought off three match points before the champions sealed the victory on their next chance. Mladenovic, who has won six Grand Slam doubles titles, fell to 0-3 in the US Open final.

Zhang, who won the 2021 US Open doubles title with Sam Stosur, expressed her disappointment but remained optimistic. “For me the biggest motivation is I wanted to put our name on this trophy,” she said. “But we will fight next time.”

As for Kichenok’s wedding, she said, “No plan yet. Maybe Las Vegas or in Europe somewhere.”

Categories: Tennis

Coco Gauff’s Olympic Hopes Dwindle After Doubles Exit

By Nilay July 31, 2024 0

Coco Gauff’s Olympic campaign in Paris took a disappointing turn on Wednesday as she suffered a second-round exit in women’s doubles, a day after her tearful departure from singles.

Gauff and her American teammate, Jessica Pegula, were the top-seeded women’s pair but were eliminated by the Czech duo of Karolina Muchova and Linda Noskova in a thrilling match tiebreaker, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5.

The setback came on the heels of Gauff’s heartbreaking loss to Donna Vekic of Croatia in the third round of singles, where she was seeded second. The American had a heated exchange with the chair umpire near the end of that match over an officiating decision.

Despite the setbacks, Gauff still has a chance to salvage her Olympic experience in mixed doubles, where she is scheduled to partner with Taylor Fritz later Wednesday.

Gauff arrived in France as one of the most highly anticipated athletes in the Games. The 20-year-old from Florida won her first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open last September and collected her first major doubles title at the French Open in June.

Muchova, who was the runner-up to Iga Swiatek at the French Open last year, returned to action in June after missing 10 months due to surgery on her right wrist.

Noskova, 18, has emerged as a rising star in the sport. She made history at the Australian Open in January when she became the first teenager to defeat a No. 1-ranked woman at Melbourne Park since 1999.

The match between Gauff and Pegula and Muchova and Noskova was delayed by rain before the Czechs took the second set. They then dominated the match tiebreaker, with Noskova sealing the victory with a volley winner.

Categories: Tennis

Indian Badminton Duo Ponnappa and Crasto Face Olympic Exit After Second Defeat

By Nilay July 29, 2024 0

India’s Ashwini Ponnappa and Tanisha Crasto’s Olympic hopes suffered a major setback as they succumbed to a second consecutive defeat in the women’s doubles badminton competition at the Paris Olympics. The Indian duo fell 11-21, 12-21 to the world number four Japanese pair of Nami Matsuyama and Chiharu Shida in a 48-minute Group C encounter.

Ponnappa and Crasto, ranked 19th in the world, had earlier lost their opening match against South Korea’s Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong. The two top-ranked pairs from each group qualify for the quarterfinals, leaving the Indians facing an uphill battle to advance.

“A bit disappointed because this was the only shot we had for a chance to get to the quarters,” Ponnappa said after the match. “Not the way we wanted to play but they were very strong. I wish we had given them a better fight. We have one more match and hope we can win that.”

The Japanese duo dominated the match from the outset, taking control of the first game with a 4-0 lead. The Indians struggled to keep pace, with Crasto netting a long rally and Ponnappa’s smash proving insufficient to challenge the Japanese.

The second game followed a similar pattern, with the Japanese racing to a 7-1 lead. Crasto’s finger injury further hampered the Indians’ efforts, and the Japanese duo’s quick court coverage and effective combination of power and placement proved too much for the Indian pair.

Despite the setback, Ponnappa and Crasto remain determined to finish their Olympic campaign on a high note. “There’s a lot to take away,” Crasto said. “It builds my confidence as we are playing at such a high level and giving fight to each and every pair. It takes a lot of courage and confidence to play here in front of so many people. It’s not over for us yet, hopefully we will be able to pull through.”

The Indians will face Australia’s Setyana Mapasa and Angela Yu in their final group game, with a victory essential to keep their Olympic hopes alive.

Categories: Badminton

Kichenok and Ostapenko Postpone Wedding for US Open Doubles Triumph

Coco Gauff’s Olympic Hopes Dwindle After Doubles Exit

Indian Badminton Duo Ponnappa and Crasto Face Olympic Exit After Second Defeat

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Tag: WomensDoubles