Amazing year for Czech tennis continues with U.S. Open Mixed Doubles title

Jakub Mensik. USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Amazing year for Czech tennis continues with U.S. Open Mixed Doubles title

By Alan Rubenstein | Last updated Aug 27, 2026 8:14 AM ET

The amazing year for Czech tennis continued with Jakub Mensik and Karolina Muchova winning the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles title Wednesday night. Mensik and Muchova defeated Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Flavio Cabolli of Italy 6-3, 1-6, 10-6.

Mensik reached the French Open semifinals and Muchova lost in the Wimbledon final to fellow Czech Linda Noskova. In the semifinals, Mensik and Muchova defeated Mirra Andreeva and Andrey Rublev of Russia 5-4, 3-5, 11-9. They won the last four points against Andreeva and Rublev, saving two match points in the process.

Bencic and Cabolli were formidable opponents as the fourth-seeded team in the mixed doubles. Entering the championship match, Bencic and Cabolli had not lost a set. At one point, they held serve 18 consecutive times in the tournament.

Jakub Mensik and Karolina Muchova unlikely champions

Mensik and Muchova were not discussed much entering the tournament. The event had a lot of star power. Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic entered the U.S. Open Mixed Doubles with 28 combined Grand Slam singles titles.

Two-time defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori of Italy and the ultimate star-power team of Carlos Alcaraz and Serena Williams were also in the draw. Errani and Vavassori lost to Andreeva and Rublev in the first round. Djokovic and Sabalenka were also eliminated in the first round, with Alcaraz and Williams losing in the quarterfinals.

A story to follow in the aftermath of the second reconfigured U.S. Open Mixed Doubles is what the ratings will be, with at least three of the four semifinalists unlikely to bring casual fans in as television viewers. The lack of star power had to be disappointing to at least ESPN executives.

That fact will do little to dampen the spirits of Mensik and Muchova, though.

Alan Rubenstein

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