WHAT HAPPENED: Championship Saturday got off to a stellar start when Anna Danilina and Harri Heliovaara finished a fairytale run to their first Grand Slam title by beating the No.1 seeds Jessica Pegula and Austin Krajicek 6-3, 6-4 inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The pair, who teamed up at the sign-in deadline in the referee’s office before the mixed tournament began, but their experience individually as doubles players (both are ranked in the Top 30 on their respective tours) certainly helped their partnership gel from the opening round.
In the first set, it was all the Kazakh/Finnish duo after they broke in Krajicek’s opening service game to go up 2-0 and for them. Although the all-American pair did have three break points to get back on serve in the next game, they never managed to get even.
In the second set, despite giving up a break early, Pegula and Krajicek raised their level in efforts to sink their teeth back into the match. The Americans broke back to level the set 2-2, and stayed ahead with incredible shots as the set neared a close.
But Danilina and Heliovaara broke crucially in the 4-4 game, affording them a chance to seal the match on serve. They rose to the occasion in style with a hold to 15 on Heliovaara's delivery, as Danilina smashed down a final forehand volley for the win.
WHAT IT MEANS: The two winners were equally elated by their achievement in their winning moment, and heaped gratitude on each other in their respective speeches.
"I would like to thank my partner. It was an amazing run. It’s been a pleasure. To many more," Danilina said in their victory speech. “This tournament ... it's been amazing every time I come here in New York. It is one of my favorite tournaments, so [I’m] hoping I come back next year and many, many more.”
“[I] stayed here for a long time, almost three weeks in New York but it was worth every minute,” Heliovaara added. “Happy to lift the trophy.
“I also have to thank my partner. [Anna is] the reason why we’re standing here. I didn’t know you two weeks ago and now I know you very well. Thank you very much, Anna.”
MATCH POINT: Heliovaara became the first Finnish man in the Open Era to win a mixed doubles at the US Open, and Danilina, the first Kazakh. He is the second Finn to win a mixed doubles title after Henri Kontinen won the mixed doubles title at Wimbledon in 2016, while she is the first Kazakh to win any major in mixed doubles.
